Self-reported sleep complaints are associated with adverse health outcomes: cross-sectional analysis of the 2002/03 New Zealand Health Survey.

The aim was to investigate the prevalence of self-reported sleep complaints in New Zealand adults and determine the independent association of sleep complaints with adverse health outcomes. We used 2002/03 New Zealand Health Survey data (n = 12,500 adults, ≥15 years). The prevalence of self-reported sleep complaints was estimated by ethnicity. The relationship between sleep complaints and mental health, physical health and health risk behaviors were investigated using multivariable logistic regression models. The prevalence of each sleep complaint measure was highest for the indigenous Māori population (23.6% reported 'any' sleep complaint; 10.3% reported multiple sleep complaints). Reporting 'any' sleep complaint was associated with higher odds of poorer mental health, diagnosed high blood pressure, diagnosed diabetes, diagnosed heart disease, poor/fair self-rated health, obesity, current smoking, and hazardous drinking. The higher prevalence of sleep complaints among Māori and the consistent association with poor health suggests a potential role for suboptimal sleep in ethnic health inequities.