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.