Insomnia and work disability

Insomnia and work disability Børge Sivertsen (University of Bergen, Bergen, Norway) presented data from a large, population-based health study that was linked to the official registry of the Norwegian National Insurance Administration [1]. The aim of the study was to estimate the direct effect of Diagnostic and Statistical Manual, fourth edition (DSM-IV)-defined insomnia on permanent work disability. The investigators used a historical cohort design to assess insomnia before and after adjustment for physical and mental symptoms and conditions, other potential socio-demographic confounders, and shift work. Despite the fact that a diagnosis of insomnia is legally insufficient for the award of a disability pension, the results showed that insomnia was a strong predictor of subsequent permanent work disability. Socio-demographic and shift work characteristics barely affected the association, which also remained significant after adjusting for both psychiatric and physical morbidity and health-related behaviors (fully adjusted odds ratio 1.8). The authors concluded that insomnia is an independent risk factor for subsequent work disability.