young adult

Insomnia ⁢Substantially Increases ​Health⁤ Risks, Costs for Active-Duty Military, New Study Finds

WASHINGTON D.C. – A newly published study reveals a stark connection⁣ between insomnia and ⁣a dramatically increased‌ risk of both mental and physical health⁤ problems, alongside significantly higher healthcare ⁢utilization, among active-duty U.S.‍ military personnel. The findings underscore a critical, and frequently ‌enough overlooked, health challenge facing service ​members and point to a substantial economic burden on the Department ‌of Defense.

The ⁣retrospective case-control study, analyzing data ⁢from 2016-2021 within the Military Data Repository, demonstrates that newly diagnosed insomnia is ⁤linked to a six-fold increase in the risk of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and a more than five-fold increase in traumatic brain injury (TBI). This research,involving over 81,000 active-duty service members,highlights the urgent need for improved⁣ screening,prevention,and treatment strategies for insomnia within the military. The study’s results have implications for military readiness, individual ⁤well-being, and the long-term costs associated wiht caring for veterans.

Researchers​ matched 40,978 active-duty service members (ADSMs) diagnosed with insomnia to ​an ⁤equal number without the condition, controlling for‍ demographic,⁤ clinical,‍ and military characteristics. Insomnia and ​related conditions were identified using International⁢ Classification of Diseases,10th ​Revision (ICD-10) diagnostic codes. time-to-event models were used to assess the impact on psychiatric and medical outcomes within 12 months of an insomnia diagnosis, while generalized​ linear models examined healthcare resource utilization.

the study population was predominantly male (78.6%) and White ​(61.8%), with the majority under the age of 44‌ (90.3%). Beyond PTSD ‌and TBI, insomnia ⁣was associated with ⁤increased risk across a broad spectrum ⁢of health outcomes. ⁤ADSMs with insomnia also exhibited significantly greater ‍all-cause healthcare resource utilization‍ across all points of service (p < 0.001). Specifically, hazard ratios revealed a 6.51 (95% CI 5.95-7.12, p < 0.001) increased risk ‌of PTSD and a 5.32 (95%‌ CI 4.53-6.24, p < 0.001)​ increased risk of TBI compared to those without‌ insomnia.

The study ‌authors acknowledge the observational nature of the research as a key limitation, but emphasize ⁢the substantial adverse medical and psychiatric burden, ⁢and also increased utilization, associated ⁢with new-onset ​insomnia ⁢among active-duty‍ personnel. The findings suggest a critical need for further investigation into‍ the underlying mechanisms linking insomnia to these adverse outcomes and‌ the development of targeted interventions⁢ to mitigate these risks.