Sleep Disorders in Veterans with Severe Mental Illness
People with serious mental illnesses (SMI) often experience significant sleep disruption, which has been linked to increased symptomatology, risk for suicide attempt, and reduced quality of life. Indeed, studies have identified rates of sleep disturbance as high as 25-80% in people with SMI, as compared to 15-30% in the general population. Furthermore, clinical human-subjects research has generated prevalence estimates that are substantially higher than archival record-based studies, suggesting that sleep disturbance among individuals with SMI is underrecognized and undertreated in clinical practice. Medical record data offer valuable insights into how sleep disorders are diagnosed and cared for in practice, including how those practices change over time.
As the largest integrated healthcare system in the United States, VA health record data offers unique opportunities to better understand care provided to Veterans and identify areas for potential improvement, including in the area of sleep disturbance. Updated and expanded estimates of sleep disorder prevalence and direct longitudinal comparison of prevalence over time in VA health record data is needed to advance our understanding of sleep disturbance in SMI. In addition, an investigation of specific patient and clinical characteristics that influence whether Veterans with SMI receive sleep-related treatment will extend our knowledge of contemporary pathways and barriers to care for comorbid SMI and sleep disorders. This study, funded by the Veterans Health Foundation and conducted in collaboration with co-PI Dr. Julia Longenecker at the VA Pittsburgh Healthcare System (VAPHS), recently concluded. The study aimed to provide updated information regarding the co-occurrence of sleep disorders and SMI diagnoses among Veterans and examine trends in diagnostic rates over nearly one decade of medical record data (2011-2019). Results are currently being prepared for a manuscript reporting on longitudinal trends in sleep treatment provision among Veterans with and without SMI. |