Prevalence and treatment of insomnia in the community: results from the Upper Bavarian Field Study

Abstract

In the Upper Bavarian Field Study a total of 1,536 persons (15 yr of age and older) were interviewed by research psychiatrists. The prevalence of insomnia (last 7 days) identified with the aid of the Clinical Interview Schedule (CIS) was 28.5% (mild: 15.0%; moderate/severe: 13.5%). For both sexes sleep disorders increased with age. The female preponderance of insomnia was mainly associated with the middle and older age groups. In contrast to other psychiatric disorders, sleep disturbances were not associated with social class. Moderate/severe insomnia was strongly related to psychiatric diagnoses, the use of psychiatric in- and outpatient services and general hospitals. It also constituted a significant burden for the primary-care physicians, whereby the average annual consultation rate among mild (10.61) and moderate/severe insomniacs (12.87) was significantly higher compared to that for those without sleep disorders (5.25). A total of 33.7% of the insomniacs were treated with hypnotic and/or other psychotropic drugs during the week prior to the interview, whereby the drug consumption among moderate/severe insomniacs (48.5%) was significantly higher than that of mild insomniacs (20.4%).