Complaints about sleep in trauma patients in an emergency department in respect to alcohol use.

UNLABELLED: Among other lifestyle problems, sleeping problems have been related to alcohol use.

AIM: The aim of this study was to evaluate complaints about sleep in trauma patients in an emergency department and its relation to alcohol use disorders (AUD).

METHOD: In an emergency department, trauma patients (1014 females, 1680 males) were screened using a computerized questionnaire addressing AUD (AUD identification test, AUDIT), smoking, drug and medication use, and sleep (presence of difficulties in falling asleep and/or sleeping through). Age, BMI, income, employment, partner status, and "feeling fit" were additionally assessed.

RESULTS

An AUDIT score > or = 8 points was found in 24.2% of the males and 8.3% of the females. Complaints about sleep were reported by 28% and 34% of the patients, respectively. These complaints about sleep were more likely in males at-risk drinkers (AUDIT > or = 8 versus 1-4 points (Adjusted odds ratio: AOR = 1.60, P = 0.001) or abstainers (AUDIT = 0 versus 1-4 points, AOR = 1.55, P = 0.029), and with increasing age (AOR = 1.01, P = 0.010), in patients not feeling "fit" (AOR = 2.15, P < 0.001), and users of pain (AOR = 2.24, P < 0.001) and sleep medication (AOR = 8.03, P < 0.001). In females, complaints about sleep were more likely with higher age (AOR = 1.04, P = 0.023), higher BMI (AOR = 1.04, P = 0.023), with not-feeling-fit (AOR = 1.87, P < 0.001) and sleep medication (AOR = 5.24, P < 0.001), and less likely in patients with a higher education (AOR = 0.57, P < 0.001).

CONCLUSION

Complaints about sleep were reported frequently by trauma patients. There was an association between AUDs and sleep complaints (mainly problems about sleeping through) in males, but not in females.