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U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of Disease Prevention and Health Promotion

Increase the proportion of adults with sleep apnea symptoms who get evaluated by a health care provider — SH‑02 Data Methodology and Measurement

On this page:  About the National Data  |  Methodology  |  History

About the National Data

Data

Data Source:  National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES), CDC/NCHS

Baseline: 32.9 percent of adults aged 20 years and over with symptoms of obstructive sleep apnea sought medical evaluation in 2015-16

Target: 36.7 percent

Numerator
Number of adults aged 20 years and over who report symptoms of sleep apnea and who have ever told a doctor that they have trouble sleeping.
Denominator
Number of adults aged 20 years and over who report symptoms of sleep apnea.
Target-setting method
Minimal statistical significance
Target-setting method details
Minimal statistical significance, assuming the same standard error for the target as for the baseline.
Target-setting method justification
Trend data were not available for this objective. The standard error was used to calculate a target based on minimal statistical significance, assuming the same standard error for the target as for the baseline. This method was used because it was a statistically significant improvement from the baseline.

Methodology

Questions used to obtain the national baseline data

(For additional information, please visit the data source page linked above.)

From the 2015-2016 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey:

Numerator:
{Have you/Has SP} ever told a doctor or other health professional that {you have/s/he has} trouble sleeping?
  1. Yes
  2. No
  3. Refused
  4. Don't know
Numerator and Denominator:
In the past 12 months, how often did {you/SP} snore while {you were/s/he was} sleeping?
  1. Never
  2. Rarely (1-2 nights/week)
  3. Occasionally (3-4 nights/week)
  4. Frequently (5 or more nights/week)
  5. Refused
  6. Don't know
In the past 12 months, how often did {you/SP} snort, gasp, or stop breathing while {you were/s/he was} asleep?
  1. Never
  2. Rarely (1-2 nights/week)
  3. Occasionally (3-4 nights/week)
  4. Refused
  5. Don't know
In the past month, how often did {you/SP}] feel excessively or overly sleepy during the day?
  1. Never
  2. Rarely (1 time a month)
  3. Sometimes (2-4 times a month)
  4. Often (5-15 times a month)
  5. Almost always (16-30 times a month)
  6. Refused
  7. Don't know
How much sleep {do you/does SP} usually get at night on weekdays or workdays? ______ Hours

Methodology notes

Persons were considered to have symptoms of sleep apnea if they answered the questions listed under denominator as follows: (snoring 3 or more nights per week) OR (snort, gasp or stop breathing 3 or more nights per week) OR (feel excessively sleepy during the day almost always 16-30 times per month AND usually sleep 7 or more hours per night on weekdays or worknights).

Age-adjustment notes

This Indicator uses Age-Adjustment Groups:

  • Total: 20-39, 40-59, 60+
  • Sex: 20-39, 40-59, 60+
  • Race/Ethnicity: 20-39, 40-59, 60+
  • Educational Attainment: 25-39, 40-59, 60+
  • Family Income (percent poverty guidelines): 20-39, 40-59, 60+
  • Health Insurance Status: 20-39, 40-59, 60-64
  • Marital Status: 20-39, 40-59, 60+
  • Activity Limitations: 20-39, 40-59, 60+
  • Country of Birth: 20-39, 40-59, 60+
  • Obesity Status: 20-39, 40-59, 60+
  • Veteran Status: 20-39, 40-59, 60+

History

Comparable HP2020 objective
Modified, which includes core objectives that are continuing from HP2020 but underwent a change in measurement.
Changes between HP2020 and HP2030
The objective differs from Healthy People 2020 SH-1 as the sample weight for most of the template lines, except obesity, was changed from the exam to the inveriew weight. Also, the age adjustment groups were revised from the 4 to 2-year groups.
Revision History
Revised. 

In 2023, the baseline was revised from 33.1% to 32.9% due to a change in the sample weight for the objective. The sample weight for most of the template lines was changed from the exam weight to the interview weight to maximize the available data as the data for this objective are available for the interviewed sample except data by obesity. The target was revised from 37.1% to 36.7% using the original target setting method.