Evaluation of the Quality of Life of Male Snorers Using the Nottingham Health Profile

Abstract

Many snorers complain of tiredness during the day, but little is known about the impact of snoring on daily life in other respects. The objective of this study was to assess the quality of life of middle-aged men who were heavy snorers. We used the Nottingham Health Profile (NHP), which has been utilized during the last two decades as an instrument for evaluating the influence different medical conditions have on quality of life. Forty-two men (median 45 years, mean BMI 26 kg/m² and mean Respiratory Disturbance Index 8.6) completed quality of life questionnaires. The answers were compared with those of a population sample of 786 men from the region with the same mean age. There were significant differences between the snorers and the population sample in the total score for quality of life (p=0.001) and the sections about energy (p<0.001) and emotional reactions (p=0.02). There were highly significant differences in the frequency of health-related problems among the snoring men compared with the population sample in the ability to perform tasks around the home (p<0.001), social life (p=0.003), family relationship (p<0.001) and sexual life (p=0.001). When the snorers were compared with results reported from patients suffering from other medical conditions (hypertensives, growth hormone deficiency myocardial infarction, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease), we found an equal level of total mean score and negative influence on their quality of life. The study illustrates that snoring men have a poor quality of life, comparable to that of patients with chronic diseases.