scispace - formally typeset
Search or ask a question
Author

Dorothy Bruck

Bio: Dorothy Bruck is an academic researcher from Victoria University, Australia. The author has contributed to research in topics: Narcolepsy & Poison control. The author has an hindex of 24, co-authored 89 publications receiving 1694 citations. Previous affiliations of Dorothy Bruck include La Trobe University & University of Tasmania.


Papers
More filters
Journal ArticleDOI
01 Aug 2018-Sleep
TL;DR: The financial and nonfinancial costs associated with inadequate sleep are substantial and warrant substantial investment in preventive health measures to address the issue through education and regulation.
Abstract: Study objectives To estimate the economic cost (financial and nonfinancial) of inadequate sleep in Australia for the 2016-2017 financial year and relate this to likely costs in similar economies. Methods Analysis was undertaken using prevalence, financial, and nonfinancial cost data derived from national surveys and databases. Costs considered included the following: (1) financial costs associated with health care, informal care provided outside healthcare sector, productivity losses, nonmedical work and vehicle accident costs, deadweight loss through inefficiencies relating to lost taxation revenue and welfare payments; and (2) nonfinancial costs of loss of well-being. They were expressed in US dollars ($). Results The estimated overall cost of inadequate sleep in Australia in 2016-2017 (population: 24.8 million) was $45.21 billion. The financial cost component was $17.88 billion, comprised of as follows: direct health costs of $160 million for sleep disorders and $1.08 billion for associated conditions; productivity losses of $12.19 billion ($5.22 billion reduced employment, $0.61 billion premature death, $1.73 billion absenteeism, and $4.63 billion presenteeism); nonmedical accident costs of $2.48 billion; informal care costs of $0.41 billion; and deadweight loss of $1.56 billion. The nonfinancial cost of reduced well-being was $27.33 billion. Conclusions The financial and nonfinancial costs associated with inadequate sleep are substantial. The estimated total financial cost of $17.88 billion represents 1.55 per cent of Australian gross domestic product. The estimated nonfinancial cost of $27.33 billion represents 4.6 per cent of the total Australian burden of disease for the year. These costs warrant substantial investment in preventive health measures to address the issue through education and regulation.

159 citations

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: It is found that sleep inertia reduces decision‐making performance for at least 30 min with the greatest impairments being found within 3 min after abrupt nocturnal awakening.
Abstract: Sleep inertia, the performance impairment that occurs immediately after awakening, has not been studied previously in relation to decision-making performance. Twelve subjects were monitored in the sleep laboratory for one night and twice awoken by a fire alarm (slow wave sleep, SWS and REM sleep). Decision making was measured over 10 3-min trials using the 'Fire Chief' computer task under conditions of baseline. SWS and REM arousal. The most important finding was that sleep inertia reduces decision-making performance for at least 30 min with the greatest impairments (in terms of both performance and subjective ratings) being found within 3 min after abrupt nocturnal awakening. Decision-making performance was as little as 51% of optimum (i.e. baseline) during these first few minutes. However, after 30 min. performance may still be as much as 20% below optimum. The initial effects of sleep inertia during the first 9 min are significantly greater after SWS arousal than after REM arousal, but this difference is not sustained. Decision-making performance after REM arousal showed more variability than after SWS arousal. Subjects reported being significantly sleepier and less clear-headed following both SWS and REM awakenings compared with baseline and this was sustained across the full 30 min. In order to generalize this finding to real-life situations, further research is required on the effects of continuous noise, emotional arousal and physical activity on the severity and duration of sleep inertia.

111 citations

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: It is recommended that smoke detector alarms be installed in the bedrooms themselves such that the signal intensity is at the maximum level tolerable to the human ear, that is approximately 90 dBA.

89 citations

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: There is preliminary evidence that alterations in sleep stage transitions and sleep instability, and other physiological mechanisms, such as heart rate variability and altered cortisol profiles, may be evident.
Abstract: Chronic fatigue syndrome/myalgic encephalomyelitis (CFS/ ME) is a chronic, disabling illness that affects approximately 0.2% of the population. Non-restorative sleep despite suffi cient or extended total sleep time is one of the major clinical diagnostic criteria; however, the underlying cause of this symptom is unknown. This review aims to provide a comprehensive overview of the literature examining sleep in CFS/ ME and the issues surrounding the current research fi ndings. Polysomnographic and other objective measures of sleep have observed few differences in sleep parameters between CFS/ME patients and healthy controls, although some discrepancies do exist. This lack of signifi cant objective differences contrasts with the common subjective complaints of disturbed and unrefreshed sleep by CFS/ME patients. The emergence of new, more sensitive techniques that examine the microstructure of sleep are showing promise for detecting differences in sleep between patients and healthy individuals. There is preliminary evidence that alterations in sleep stage transitions and sleep instability, and other physiological mechanisms, such as heart rate variability and altered cortisol profi les, may be evident. Future research investigating the etiology of non-restorative sleep in CFS/ME may also help us to undercover the causes of non-restorative sleep and fatigue in other medical conditions.

85 citations

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: Significant increased risk of new onset depression and anxiety was found at each follow-up survey in women who reported sleeping difficulties “often” in 2000, and further research is needed to uncover the mechanisms underlying the link between sleep problems and mental health.
Abstract: Previous longitudinal studies have demonstrated that poor sleep may precede depression and anxiety. The current study examined the association between self-reported sleeping difficulties and new onset depression and anxiety in young women. A nationally representative sample of 9,683 young women from the Australian Longitudinal Study of Women's Health was analyzed. Women were surveyed in 2000 (aged 22 to 25 years), 2003, 2006, and 2009. Generalized estimating equations were used to examine the association between sleeping difficulties in 2000 and new-onset depression (excluding postnatal depression) and anxiety at each subsequent survey. Significant increased risk of new onset depression (odds ratio (OR)=2.6 in 2003; OR=4.4 in 2006; OR=4.4 in 2009) and anxiety (OR=2.4 in 2006; OR=2.9 in 2009) was found at each follow-up survey in women who reported sleeping difficulties "often" in 2000. Further research is needed to uncover the mechanisms underlying the link between sleep problems and mental health.

83 citations


Cited by
More filters
Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: In this article, it is suggested to adjust the frequency windows of alpha and theta for each subject by using individual alpha frequency as an anchor point, based on this procedure, a consistent interpretation of a variety of findings is made possible.

5,613 citations

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: This year's edition of the Statistical Update includes data on the monitoring and benefits of cardiovascular health in the population, metrics to assess and monitor healthy diets, an enhanced focus on social determinants of health, a focus on the global burden of cardiovascular disease, and further evidence-based approaches to changing behaviors, implementation strategies, and implications of the American Heart Association’s 2020 Impact Goals.
Abstract: Background: The American Heart Association, in conjunction with the National Institutes of Health, annually reports on the most up-to-date statistics related to heart disease, stroke, and cardiovas...

5,078 citations

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: The American Heart Association, in conjunction with the National Institutes of Health, annually reports the most up-to-date statistics related to heart disease, stroke, and cardiovascul...
Abstract: Background: The American Heart Association, in conjunction with the National Institutes of Health, annually reports the most up-to-date statistics related to heart disease, stroke, and cardiovascul...

3,034 citations

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: The American Heart Association, through its Statistics Committee, continuously monitors and evaluates sources of data on heart disease and stroke in the United States to provide the most current information available in the annual Statistical Update as discussed by the authors .
Abstract: The American Heart Association, in conjunction with the National Institutes of Health, annually reports the most up-to-date statistics related to heart disease, stroke, and cardiovascular risk factors, including core health behaviors (smoking, physical activity, diet, and weight) and health factors (cholesterol, blood pressure, and glucose control) that contribute to cardiovascular health. The Statistical Update presents the latest data on a range of major clinical heart and circulatory disease conditions (including stroke, congenital heart disease, rhythm disorders, subclinical atherosclerosis, coronary heart disease, heart failure, valvular disease, venous disease, and peripheral artery disease) and the associated outcomes (including quality of care, procedures, and economic costs).The American Heart Association, through its Statistics Committee, continuously monitors and evaluates sources of data on heart disease and stroke in the United States to provide the most current information available in the annual Statistical Update. The 2022 Statistical Update is the product of a full year's worth of effort by dedicated volunteer clinicians and scientists, committed government professionals, and American Heart Association staff members. This year's edition includes data on the monitoring and benefits of cardiovascular health in the population and an enhanced focus on social determinants of health, adverse pregnancy outcomes, vascular contributions to brain health, and the global burden of cardiovascular disease and healthy life expectancy.Each of the chapters in the Statistical Update focuses on a different topic related to heart disease and stroke statistics.The Statistical Update represents a critical resource for the lay public, policymakers, media professionals, clinicians, health care administrators, researchers, health advocates, and others seeking the best available data on these factors and conditions.

1,483 citations

Journal ArticleDOI
Avi Sadeh1
TL;DR: This update indicates that according to most studies, actigraphy has reasonable validity and reliability in normal individuals with relatively good sleep patterns, and is sensitive in detecting sleep changes associated with drug treatments and non-pharmacologic interventions.

1,135 citations