The influence of total sleep time on chronic disease in people with disabilities in South Korea: an analysis of panel data.

Study Objectives: This study examined the relationship between total sleep time and chronic diseases among people with disabilities using data from the Panel Survey of Employment for the Disabled to identify differences according to sex and age.

Methods: This study analyzed secondary data analysis from the second wave of the Panel Survey of Employment for the Disabled (collected 2016-2018; n = 5,092) using a generalized estimating equation model and chi-square test.

Results: The main findings were these: First, the incidence of chronic disease was 1.84 and 1.24 times higher among patients with disabilities who slept less than 5 and 6 hours per night, respectively, than those who slept 7 hours. Second, female patients experienced more sleep problems than male patients. Third, chronic disease was most prevalent among patients with the shortest sleep time, regardless of age.

Conclusions: The results suggested that patients with disabilities who slept less than 6 hours per night were more likely to experience chronic diseases than those who slept more than 6 hours, with women especially vulnerable. Future research should consider multiple variables to clarify the relationship between total sleep time and health-related outcomes associated with various disabilities and chronic diseases.

Citation: Yi SJ, Jeong YM, Kim J-H. The influence of total sleep time on chronic disease in people with disabilities in South Korea: an analysis of panel data. . 2022;18(5):1307-1318.