Impaired health status, daily functioning, and work productivity in adults with excessive sleepiness.

OBJECTIVE

This study evaluated the effects of excessive sleepiness (ES) on health status, daily functioning, and work productivity.

METHODS

From a survey performed in June to July 2006, people with or without ES in two groups (1758 with obstructive sleep apnea, depression, narcolepsy, multiple sclerosis, or shift work; 1977 without these conditions) were assessed on the Work Productivity and the Activity Impairment Scale, Short Form-12, Medical Outcomes study 6-item Cognitive Function Scale, and the Toronto Hospital Alertness Test.

RESULTS

ES in both groups was associated with highly significant impairments in health status, daily activities, and work productivity for all measures (P < 0.0001), except for absenteeism (P = 0.0400 for group A, P = 0.8360 for group B).

CONCLUSIONS

ES may have an incremental negative impact measurable above that of obstructive sleep apnea, multiple sclerosis, narcolepsy, depression, or shift work.