[Sleep disorders and the consumption of hypnotics on the island of Mallorca]. / Trastornos del sueño y consumo de hipnóticos en la isla de Mallorca.

OBJECTIVE: To estimate the frequency and characteristic of sleep disorders and consumption of hypnotic drugs in a population attended by primary care physicians (PC). METHODS: Interviewing a population of 602 patients at the office exit of 87 PC physicians in 32 institution in Mallorca 1994. Questionnaire on sleep: hypnotic drugs and scale hospital anxiety-depression, others. RESULTS: 17.4% (95% CI: 14.4%-20.5%) sleepless (DSM-III-R), 27.0% (95% CI: 23.5%-30.6%) complained from poor sleep quality and 16.4% (95% CI: 13.4%-19.4%) usually consumed hypnotic drugs (56.7%, for longer than one year). CONCLUSION: The high frequency of both sleep disorders and chronic consumption of hypnotic drugs represents a relevant health problem.