title: Chronic sleep difficulties in non-depressed young women: a longitudinal population-based investigation.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Young women are at a risk of poor sleep, but the extent to which their sleep difficulties remain chronic is not known. Little is also known about the frequency of seeking health care for sleep and satisfaction with that health care. This longitudinal study investigated these issues over nine years in women who reported sleep difficulties over the preceding 12 months.
  
  
  METHODS
  Data from the Australian Longitudinal Study on Women's Health were analysed (N = 9683). Information on self-reported sleep difficulties, help seeking, and health-care satisfaction was obtained from four surveys collected from 2000 (aged 22-27 years) to 2009. Generalized estimating equations were conducted to calculate odds ratios (OR) for the likelihood of women who reported sleep difficulties in 2000 to report sleep difficulties at subsequent surveys.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The prevalence of self-reported sleep difficulties 'often' was consistent at 9.1-10.8%. Women who reported sleep difficulties 'often' in 2000 had a markedly increased risk of continued sleep difficulties 'often' over the subsequent 9 years [2003: OR (95% confidence interval, CI) = 11.07 (8.03-15.27); 2006: 12.19 (8.08-16.88); 2009: 10.70 (7.57-15.12)]. Of women who reported sleep difficulties 'often' in 2000 (N = 981), 45.1% had persistent sleep problems and 21.1% experienced relapse of symptoms. About one-third of women who reported sleep problems 'often' sought help.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Self-reported frequent sleep difficulties in non-depressed young women strongly predicted a continuation of this level of sleep difficulty over a decade, even if help is sought. Current health practice may not be breaking the ongoing chronicity of sleep difficulties in young women.
authors: Psychology Discipline, College of Arts, Victoria University, Melbourne, Australia; School of Health Sciences, RMIT University, Melbourne, Australia. Electronic address: melinda.jackson@rmit.edu.au.
authors: Melinda L
authors: ML
authors: Jackson
authors: ESQUANT Statistical Consulting, Melbourne, Australia.
authors: Ewa M
authors: EM
authors: Sztendur
authors: ESQUANT Statistical Consulting, Melbourne, Australia.
authors: Neil T
authors: NT
authors: Diamond
authors: Research Centre for Gender, Health and Ageing, University of Newcastle, Newcastle, NSW, Australia.
authors: Julie E
authors: JE
authors: Byles
authors: Psychology Discipline, College of Arts, Victoria University, Melbourne, Australia.
authors: Dorothy
authors: D
authors: Bruck
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D001315:Australia; D002908:Chronic Disease; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D010342:Patient Acceptance of Health Care; D017060:Patient Satisfaction; D015995:Prevalence; D057566:Self Report; D012737:Sex Factors; D012893:Sleep Wake Disorders / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000523:psychology* / Q000628:therapy; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: Anxiety; Chronic sleep; Depression; Longitudinal; Sleep disturbance; Women