SCREENING and ASSESSMENT for SLEEP DISORDERS in PRIMARY HEALTH CARE

Sleep is a basic human need and is important for health, good quality of life and performing well during the day. Sleep disorders, especially insomnia and obstructive sleep apnea, are common in the community. The cumulative long-term effects of these disorders are associated with a wide range of adverse health consequences including mental problems, cardiovascular diseases, diabetes, obesity and depression. Sleep problems should be taken seriously in terms of preventive medicine due to these consequences. However, despite their high frequency and significant outcomes, less than 20% of individuals with sleep disorders are correctly diagnosed and treated. Therefore, consequences of sleep conditions affect many important indicators of public health such as mortality and morbidity rates, accidents, injuries, and health care utilization. Epidemiologic studies suggest that barriers to screening and counselling for sleep disorders include; limited time, low reporting of sleep problems by patients, misconceptions about the seriousness of sleep disorders, lack of awareness among physicians, and insufficient physician knowledge. In this review; assessment tools that can be used in primary health care for screening for common sleep problems are presented