The Circuitous Route to Diagnosing Sleep Disorders in Women: Health Care Utilization and Benefits of Improved Awareness for Sleep Disorders

Some sleep disorders are common in women, but gender differences in the clinical presentation of the sleep disorders and lack of awareness of sleep disorders by medical practitioners may lead to a delayed diagnosis. Underlying medical or psychiatric diseases may cause sleep problems; conversely primary sleep disorders could lead to the development of medical and mental conditions. Untreated sleep disorders lead to increased resource utilization of health care systems with reductions in health care utilization following compliance with therapy. Earlier diagnosis and treatment of the sleep disorders may reduce health care utilization in women.