Neglected burden of obstructive sleep apnoea: workplace productivity loss in the USA and UK
This study estimates the prevalence and workplace productivity burden of obstructive sleep apnoea (OSA) syndrome in the UK and USA, using self-reported breathing pauses and excessive daytime sleepiness as a proxy. The prevalence of OSA syndrome was 22.8% in the USA and 19.5% in the UK. Annual productivity losses were estimated at US$180.2 billion in the USA and £4.22 billion in the UK. In the UK and USA, individual-level productivity losses exceeded the cost of continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) treatment, suggesting that improved identification, access to treatment and adherence could yield significant economic benefits in both countries.
Authors
- Maurice M. Ohayon (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-2757-5440)
- Yuju Ahn
- Erez Yerushalmi (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-9421-9067)
- Liam Sutton (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-3688-7881)
- Mohamed Abdelwahab (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-2588-8355)
- Matt Lechner
- Robson Capasso (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-2645-1793)
- Jacklyn Liu (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1748-0314)
- Bhik Kotecha (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-7899-6707)
- Nick Eynon‐Lewis
- Umar Rehman
- F Christopher Holsinger
- Marco Hafner
- Marie-Lise Côté
Institutions
- Birmingham City University (GB)
- Department of Health and Social Care (GB)
- Statistics Canada (CA)
- Medical University of South Carolina (US)
- Great Ormond Street Hospital (GB)
- Royal London Hospital (GB)
- Nuffield Health (GB)
- RAND Europe (GB)
- Stanford Medicine (US)
- CRUK Lung Cancer Centre of Excellence (GB)
- Eastman Dental Hospital (GB)
- University College London (GB)
- Stanford University (US)
Publication Details
- Journal
- Thorax
- Published
- 2026-02-24
- DOI
- https://doi.org/10.1136/thorax-2025-223550
- Primary Topic
- Obstructive Sleep Apnea Research
- Type
- article
- Field-Weighted Citation Impact
- 0.00