[Attitude toward insomnia: survey of 6043 French general practitioners]. / La perception de l'insomnie en médecine générale. Enquête auprès de 6043 médecins généralistes.

ABSTRACT

AIM: To describe the attitudes of French general practitioners (GPs) about insomnia and its effect on patients' physical health and work. METHOD: A questionnaire about patients with insomnia and its diagnosis, treatment, and consequences was distributed to a representative sample of 8000 GPs. RESULTS: 6,043 GPs completed and returned the questionnaires. They estimated the prevalence of insomnia in their patients at 18.1%. They identified the principal causes of insomnia as anxiety (58.8%) and work issues (54%). Nearly 45% reported that they always raise the subject of sleep with their patients. For 62.4% sleep problems reflect another disorder rather than being a primary syndrome. Nearly two-thirds (60.2%) do not prescribe medication at the first complaint. When prescribing hypnotics, 81.3% also recommended sleep hygiene measures. Most (68.5%) agreed that insomnia affects concentration, memory, and attention. Almost all employed patients with insomnia complained of work-related effects, such as loss of productivity and absenteeism. CONCLUSION: Insomnia and its management are topics of strong interest for GPs.