The National Veteran Sleep Disorder Study: Descriptive Epidemiology and Secular Trends, 2000-2010.
A large proportion of individuals affected by sleep disorders are untreated and susceptible to accidents, injuries, long-term sequelae (e.g., risk of cardiovascular disease, cancer, psychiatric disorders), and increased mortality risk. Few studies have examined the scope and magnitude of sleep disorder diagnoses in the United States (US) or factors influencing them. Veterans are particularly vulnerable to factors that elicit or exacerbate sleep disorders.



This serial cross-sectional study characterized secular trends in diagnosed sleep disorders among veterans seeking care in US Veterans Health Administration facilities over an eleven-year span (FY2000-2010, n = 9,786,778). Electronic medical records from the national Veterans Administration Informatics and Computing Infrastructure database were accessed. Cases were defined using diagnostic codes specified by the American Academy of Sleep Medicine. Age-adjusted annual prevalence was summarized by sex, race, combat exposure, body mass index, and comorbid diagnoses (cardiovascular disease, cancer, mental disorders).



Sleep apnea (47%) and insomnia (26%) were the most common diagnoses among patients with any sleep disorder. There was a six-fold relative increase in total sleep disorder prevalence over the study period. Posttraumatic stress disorder, which tripled over the same time period, was associated with the highest prevalence of sleep disorders (16%) among the comorbid conditions evaluated.



The results indicate a growing need for integration of sleep disorder management with patient care and health care planning among US veterans.



A commentary on this article appears in this issue on page 1331.
South Carolina Statewide Cancer Prevention & Control Program, University of South Carolina, Columbia, SC.|Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Arnold School of Public Health, University of South Carolina, Columbia, SC.
Melannie
M
Alexander
Division of Epidemiology, Biostatistics, and Environmental Health, School of Public Health, University of Memphis, Memphis, TN.
Meredith A
MA
Ray
South Carolina Statewide Cancer Prevention & Control Program, University of South Carolina, Columbia, SC.|Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Arnold School of Public Health, University of South Carolina, Columbia, SC.|Department of Family and Preventive Medicine, School of Medicine, University of South Carolina, Columbia, SC.
James R
JR
Hébert
College of Nursing and Health Innovation, College of Health Solutions, Arizona State University, Phoenix VA Health Care System, Phoenix, AZ.
Shawn D
SD
Youngstedt
Division of Epidemiology, Biostatistics, and Environmental Health, School of Public Health, University of Memphis, Memphis, TN.
Hongmei
H
Zhang
South Carolina Statewide Cancer Prevention & Control Program, University of South Carolina, Columbia, SC.|Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Arnold School of Public Health, University of South Carolina, Columbia, SC.
Susan E
SE
Steck
SleepMed, Columbia, SC.
Richard K
RK
Bogan
South Carolina Statewide Cancer Prevention & Control Program, University of South Carolina, Columbia, SC.|Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Arnold School of Public Health, University of South Carolina, Columbia, SC.|WJB Dorn Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Columbia, SC.
James B
JB
Burch
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015995:Prevalence; D012893:Sleep Wake Disorders / Q000453:epidemiology*; D014481:United States / Q000453:epidemiology; D058014:Veterans Health / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D055815:Young Adult
insomnia; military; posttraumatic stress disorder; sleep apnea; veteran