When Sleep Turns Sour: Sleep Apnea Raises Hospital Risks for Seniors
Sleep apnea is linked to a higher likelihood of future healthcare utilization, including hospitalizations, among older adults (). The results indicate that participants aged 50 and older with sleep apnea had a 21% greater chance of reporting future use of any health service compared to those without sleep apnea. Specifically, individuals with sleep apnea had a 21% higher odds of hospitalization after accounting for potential confounders such as demographics, body mass index, health conditions, and depressive symptoms.
Older Adults with Sleep Apnea Likely to Increase Future Health Service Use
"Our research indicates that older adults who have sleep apnea are more likely to use health services in the future than those who don't have sleep apnea," said lead author Christopher Kaufmann, who has a doctorate in public mental health and is an assistant professor in the department of health outcomes and biomedical informatics at the University of Florida College of Medicine in Gainesville. "The findings hold true even after taking into account other factors that may contribute to an increased risk of health service utilization."‘According to the American Academy of Sleep Medicine, nearly 30 million U.S. adults have #obstructivesleepapnea, a chronic condition causing repeated upper airway collapse during sleep. #sleepdisorder ’
Untreated, moderate to severe sleep apnea is associated with an increased risk of medical problems such as hypertension, coronary artery disease, atrial fibrillation, stroke, and Type 2 diabetes.
The researchers analyzed data from 20,115 participants in the 2016 and 2018 Health and Retirement Study, a nationally representative cohort of middle-aged and older adults in the U.S. Participants were surveyed about sleep disorders, including sleep apnea, in 2016 and their subsequent use of health services in 2018. Nearly 12% of participants reported being told by a doctor that they have sleep apnea.
Kaufmann emphasized the need for timely identification and management of sleep apnea in older adults to mitigate its downstream effects on health care utilization.
"Addressing sleep apnea can not only improve individual health outcomes but also alleviate the strain on health care resources, leading to more efficient and effective health care delivery," said Kaufmann.
Reference:
- Association Between Sleep Apnea and Health Service Utilization: Results from the Health and Retirement Study - (https:academic.oup.com/sleep/article/47/Supplement_1/A465/7655150)
Source: Eurekalert