Abstract
Objective: To examine associations between three clinically significant sleep disorders (chronic insomnia, obstructive sleep apnoea, restless legs syndrome) and workplace productivity losses among young Australian adults. Design, setting: Prospective, observational study; 22-year follow-up of participants in the longitudinal birth cohort Raine Study (Perth, Western Australia). Participants: Currently employed 22-year-old Raine Study participants who underwent in-laboratory sleep disorder screening for moderate to severe obstructive sleep apnoea (apnoea–hypopnea index of more than fifteen events/hour or obstructive sleep apnoea syndrome) and were assessed for insomnia and restless legs syndrome using validated measures. Main outcome measures: Total workplace productivity loss over twelve months, assessed with the World Health Organization Health and Work Performance Questionnaire. Results: Of 1235 contactable 22-year-old Raine Study cohort members, 554 people (44.9%; 294 women [53%]) underwent overnight polysomnography, completed the baseline sleep questionnaire, and completed at least three quarterly workplace productivity assessments. One or more clinically significant sleep disorders were identified in 120 participants (21.7%); 90 participants had insomnia (17%), thirty clinically significant obstructive sleep apnoea (5.4%), and two restless legs syndrome (0.4%). Seventeen people (14% of those with sleep disorders) had previously been diagnosed with a sleep disturbance by a health professional, including fourteen with insomnia. Median total workplace productivity loss was greater for participants with sleep disorders (164 hours/year; interquartile range [IQR], 0–411 hours/year) than for those without sleep disorders (30 hours/year; IQR, 0–202 hours/year); total workplace productivity loss was 40% greater for participants with sleep disorders (adjusted incidence rate ratio, 1.40; bias-corrected and accelerated 95% confidence interval, 1.10–1.76). The estimated population total productivity loss (weighted for disorder prevalence) was 28 644 hours per 1000 young workers per year, primarily attributable to insomnia (28 730 hours/1000 workers/year). Conclusion: Insomnia is a risk factor for workplace productivity loss in young workers. Tailored interventions are needed to identify and manage sleep disorders, particularly as most of the sleep disorders detected in the Raine Study had not previously been diagnosed.
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Pages (from-to) | 107-112 |
| Number of pages | 6 |
| Journal | Medical Journal of Australia |
| Volume | 219 |
| Issue number | 3 |
| Early online date | 25 Jun 2023 |
| DOIs | |
| Publication status | Published - Aug 2023 |
Bibliographical note
Funding Information:We acknowledge the Raine Study participants and their families for their ongoing participation in the study, and the Raine Study team for study coordination and data collection. We acknowledge the University of Western Australia Centre for Sleep Science for allowing us to use their facilities and the contributions of the sleep study technicians. We also thank the National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC) for its long term contribution to funding the study over the past thirty years. The core management of the Raine Study is funded by the University of Western Australia, Curtin University, the Telethon Kids Institute, the Women and Infants Research Foundation, Edith Cowan University, Murdoch University, the University of Notre Dame Australia, and the Raine Medical Research Foundation. The Raine Study Generation 2 22‐year follow‐up was funded by NHMRC project grants 1027449, 1044840, and 1021858; polysomnography measures were supported by NHMRC project grant 1084947. Funding was also generously provided by Safe Work Australia.
Funding Information:
Amy Reynolds has received research funding from the Sleep Health Foundation, Flinders Foundation, Compumedics, and Sydney Trains, and speaker and consultancy fees from Teva Pharmaceuticals, Sealy Australia, and the Sleep Health Foundation for work unrelated to this study. Kath Maddison has received research funding from Nyxoah, Incannex Healthcare, and Zelira Therapeutics, and speaker and consultancy fees from the Sleep Health Foundation, Melius Consulting, and Invicta Medical for work unrelated to this study. Robert Adams has received research funding from the NHMRC, the Sleep Health Foundation, the Flinders Foundation, the ResMed Foundation, the Hospital Research Foundation, Philips, Sydney Trains, and the Australian government for work unrelated to this study.
Funding Information:
We acknowledge the Raine Study participants and their families for their ongoing participation in the study, and the Raine Study team for study coordination and data collection. We acknowledge the University of Western Australia Centre for Sleep Science for allowing us to use their facilities and the contributions of the sleep study technicians. We also thank the National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC) for its long term contribution to funding the study over the past thirty years. The core management of the Raine Study is funded by the University of Western Australia, Curtin University, the Telethon Kids Institute, the Women and Infants Research Foundation, Edith Cowan University, Murdoch University, the University of Notre Dame Australia, and the Raine Medical Research Foundation. The Raine Study Generation 2 22-year follow-up was funded by NHMRC project grants 1027449, 1044840, and 1021858; polysomnography measures were supported by NHMRC project grant 1084947. Funding was also generously provided by Safe Work Australia.
Publisher Copyright:
© 2023 The Authors. Medical Journal of Australia published by John Wiley & Sons Australia, Ltd on behalf of AMPCo Pty Ltd.
Funding
We acknowledge the Raine Study participants and their families for their ongoing participation in the study, and the Raine Study team for study coordination and data collection. We acknowledge the University of Western Australia Centre for Sleep Science for allowing us to use their facilities and the contributions of the sleep study technicians. We also thank the National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC) for its long term contribution to funding the study over the past thirty years. The core management of the Raine Study is funded by the University of Western Australia, Curtin University, the Telethon Kids Institute, the Women and Infants Research Foundation, Edith Cowan University, Murdoch University, the University of Notre Dame Australia, and the Raine Medical Research Foundation. The Raine Study Generation 2 22‐year follow‐up was funded by NHMRC project grants 1027449, 1044840, and 1021858; polysomnography measures were supported by NHMRC project grant 1084947. Funding was also generously provided by Safe Work Australia. Amy Reynolds has received research funding from the Sleep Health Foundation, Flinders Foundation, Compumedics, and Sydney Trains, and speaker and consultancy fees from Teva Pharmaceuticals, Sealy Australia, and the Sleep Health Foundation for work unrelated to this study. Kath Maddison has received research funding from Nyxoah, Incannex Healthcare, and Zelira Therapeutics, and speaker and consultancy fees from the Sleep Health Foundation, Melius Consulting, and Invicta Medical for work unrelated to this study. Robert Adams has received research funding from the NHMRC, the Sleep Health Foundation, the Flinders Foundation, the ResMed Foundation, the Hospital Research Foundation, Philips, Sydney Trains, and the Australian government for work unrelated to this study. We acknowledge the Raine Study participants and their families for their ongoing participation in the study, and the Raine Study team for study coordination and data collection. We acknowledge the University of Western Australia Centre for Sleep Science for allowing us to use their facilities and the contributions of the sleep study technicians. We also thank the National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC) for its long term contribution to funding the study over the past thirty years. The core management of the Raine Study is funded by the University of Western Australia, Curtin University, the Telethon Kids Institute, the Women and Infants Research Foundation, Edith Cowan University, Murdoch University, the University of Notre Dame Australia, and the Raine Medical Research Foundation. The Raine Study Generation 2 22-year follow-up was funded by NHMRC project grants 1027449, 1044840, and 1021858; polysomnography measures were supported by NHMRC project grant 1084947. Funding was also generously provided by Safe Work Australia.
Keywords
- Accidents, occupational
- Occupational health
- Sleep apnea
- Sleep wake disorders