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A cohort study of the prevalence of sleep problems in adults with intellectual disabilities

  1. AINSLIE BOYLE1,
  2. CRAIG A. MELVILLE1,
  3. JILL MORRISON2,
  4. LINDA ALLAN3,
  5. ELITA SMILEY3,
  6. COLIN A. ESPIE1,
  7. SALLY-ANN COOPER1

Article first published online: 11 NOV 2009

DOI: 10.1111/j.1365-2869.2009.00788.x

Issue

Journal of Sleep Research

Journal of Sleep Research

Volume 19, Issue 1-Part-I, pages 42–53, March 2010

Additional Information

How to Cite

BOYLE, A., MELVILLE, C. A., MORRISON, J., ALLAN, L., SMILEY, E., ESPIE, C. A. and COOPER, S.-A. (2010), A cohort study of the prevalence of sleep problems in adults with intellectual disabilities. Journal of Sleep Research, 19: 42–53. doi: 10.1111/j.1365-2869.2009.00788.x

Author Information

  1. 1

    Section of Psychological Medicine

  2. 2

    Section of General Practice and Primary Care, Faculty of Medicine, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, UK

  3. 3

    Glasgow Learning Disability Partnership, NHS Greater Glasgow, Glasgow, UK

*Craig Melville, Section of Psychological Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, University of Glasgow, Academic Centre, Gartnavel Royal Hospital, 1055 Great Western Road, Glasgow G12 0XH, UK. Tel.: 0141 211 0652; fax: 0141 357 4899; e-mail: C.Melville@clinmed.gla.ac.uk

Publication History

  1. Issue published online: 19 FEB 2010
  2. Article first published online: 11 NOV 2009
  3. Accepted in revised form 13 August 2009; received 27 November 2008

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Keywords:

  • intellectual disabilities;
  • prevalence;
  • sleep problems

Summary

Previous studies of the prevalence of sleep problems in adults with intellectual disabilities (ID) are affected by small, potentially biased samples and other limitations. This study aims to determine the prevalence and associations of sleep problems in the adult population with ID. The 4-week period prevalence of sleep problems was determined in a cross-sectional study of all adults with ID in a defined geographical area. Sleep problems were identified using the Psychiatric Assessment Scale for Adults with Developmental Disabilities (PAS-ADD) checklist and categorized as initial insomnia, early morning wakening and broken sleep. A fourth, composite, variable of significant sleep problem was also derived. Of the 1023 adults with ID who participated, 9.2% had experienced a significant sleep problem, during the 1-month period. Individuals with a significant sleep problem are more likely to have mental ill-health [odds ratio (OR) = 5.53, 95% confidence interval (CI) 3.52–8.69], problem behaviours (OR = 2.06, 95% CI: 1.25–3.41) and respiratory disease (OR = 2.03, 95% CI: 1.27–3.26). There is a positive association between visual impairment and initial insomnia (OR = 1.91, 95% CI: 1.21–3.04). Although a diagnosis of epilepsy is not associated with sleep problems, the finding that individuals taking antiepileptic medication are more likely to experience broken sleep (OR = 1.73, 95% CI: 1.13–2.66) suggests that medication side effects may impact on sleep of individuals with ID. The results suggest that there is a need to further examine the relationship between sleep problems and co-morbid health problems, which would inform the development of interventions, and trials of their efficacy.

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