Insomnia most prevalent in women
A new study utilising the Roy Morgan Health Care Monitor has identified that insomnia is a serious health issue for women. There are approximately 2 million people in Australia who report suffering from insomnia, and women are more likely to be affected than men.
In the 12 months to December 2009, 11.3% of Australians aged 14+ (approximately 2 million people) reported suffering from insomnia in the previous 12 months.
Women (15.3%), and middle aged people (14.2% of those 50-64), report disproportionally higher rates of insomnia than the average person aged 14+. Women are more than twice as likely to report insomnia as men.
Roy Morgan Research account director, Richard Vantuno, says that the higher prevalence of older and lower socio-economic profiles associated with many medical conditions is not the case when it comes to insomnia.
Those reporting suffering from insomnia in the last 12 months are typically female, middle aged, and cut across all socio-economic segments of the population 14+.
It was also found that the environment at home has a significant bearing on the likelihood of reporting insomnia, with higher prevalence amongst the unemployed and the underemployed and amongst those who are divorced or separated.
People with insomnia are more likely to experience symptoms relating to anxiety, stress, or depression. People suffering from insomnia are more than three times as likely to report anxiety or mood disorders such as depression, and twice as likely to report suffering from stress than the population 14+.
This highlights the need for professional assessment in patients reporting insomnia.
