Skip to main content

Sleep Disorders Increase Risk for High Health Care Use in Children With Chronic Illness

Medically reviewed by Carmen Pope, BPharm. Last updated on April 5, 2024.

By Lori Solomon HealthDay Reporter

FRIDAY, April 5, 2024 -- Sleep disorders are associated with an increased risk for heightened health care utilization (HU) in children with chronic medical conditions, according to a study published online April 1 in the Journal of Clinical Sleep Medicine.

Pranshu A. Adavadkar, M.D., from University of Illinois Children's Hospital in Chicago, and colleagues used Medicaid claims data to identify 16,325 children enrolled in the Coordinated Healthcare for Complex Kids project. Health care utilization tied to individual sleep disorders was assessed in children with chronic medical conditions.

The researchers found that children with chronic medical conditions and any sleep disorder had nearly doubled odds of being in an increased HU group (defined as at least three hospitalizations or at least four emergency department visits in 12 months) versus children without a sleep disorder (odds ratio [OR], 1.83). The risk for being in the high HU group varied across sleep disorders, with sleep-disordered breathing (OR, 1.51), insomnia (OR, 1.46), and circadian rhythm sleep disorder (OR, 2.45) all tied to increased risk. Classification in the high HU group was also seen among children of younger age and those who were White.

"These findings indicate the need for careful evaluation and management of sleep disorders in this high-risk cohort," the authors write.

Abstract/Full Text

Disclaimer: Statistical data in medical articles provide general trends and do not pertain to individuals. Individual factors can vary greatly. Always seek personalized medical advice for individual healthcare decisions.

© 2024 HealthDay. All rights reserved.

Read this next

Psoriasis, With or Without Psoriatic Arthritis, Associated With Fatigue

MONDAY, July 1, 2024 -- Psoriasis is associated with fatigue, especially among those with psoriatic arthritis (PsA), according to a study published in the July issue of the...

RA Patients With Mono-, Oligo-Arthritis, High PGA Remain Most Fatigued

FRIDAY, June 28, 2024 -- Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients with mono- or oligo-arthritis and high Patient Global Assessment (PGA) at diagnosis remain the most fatigued, according...

Fatigue With Rheumatoid Arthritis Tied to Disease Activity, Education Level

WEDNESDAY, June 26, 2024 -- The Bristol Rheumatoid Arthritis Fatigue Multi-Dimensional Questionnaire (BRAF-MDQ) and Brief Fatigue Inventory (BFI-C) scores show consistency in...

More news resources

Subscribe to our newsletter

Whatever your topic of interest, subscribe to our newsletters to get the best of Drugs.com in your inbox.