LAUSR

Background Region-specific differences in the prevalence of insomnia symptoms in outpatient clinics in China have received little systematic study. This study was conducted preliminarily to examine region-specific differences in the risk of insomnia symptoms in Chinese outpatients. Method In total, 4,399 adult outpatients (urban vs rural residents: 1,768 vs 2,631) who completed three questions focusing on insomnia symptoms were included. Their sociodemographic and clinical information were collected with standardized questionnaires. Results The prevalence of self-reported insomnia symptoms in urban residents (23.4%) was more frequent than the prevalence in rural residents (21.2%). The estimated prevalence of insomnia symptoms was significantly lower in rural than urban residents after adjusting for the potential confounders (P=0.015). Similarly, more urban (22.9%) than rural (13.4%) residents with insomnia symptoms had significantly higher treatment rates (χ2=14.9, P<0.001). Multiple regression analyses showed that depressive symptoms, old age, and low education level were the most common risk factors for insomnia symptoms in both urban and rural residents. Conclusion Our findings show that the prevalence of insomnia symptoms was relatively lower in rural than urban residents. Longitudinal studies are warranted to confirm the current findings.