[Sleep disorders and physical abuse: a nation-wide representative study in Hungary].

OBJECTIVES

Violence against women has been declared a major public health concern. The relationship between physical abuse and physical and psychological symptoms is well-known, however data regarding the association between physical abuse and sleep disorders are limited. Our aim is to document the prevalence of reported abuse and investigate the association between physical abuse and insomnia among females.

METHODS

Cross-sectional analyses were conducted on the female sample (N=6987) of the Hungarostudy 2002, a nationwide representative survey. The survey contained sociodemographic questions and a Hungarian version of Athen Insomnia Scale (AIS).

RESULTS

We found higher (>10) AIS scores and all of the items of AIS reported higher prevalence among abused women's group than non-abused women. Physical abuse was found to be associated with sleep disturbances (OR=1,707), problems with staying asleep (OR=1,552) and decrease of daytime performance (OR=2,024) after controlling the potential risk factors.

CONCLUSION

Women experiencing physical abuse have a significantly higher risk of sleep disorders. The relationship between physical abuse and insomnia deserves further investigation in order to determine the possible pathways of this association.