Sleep: A marker of physical and mental health in the elderly

Kathryn J. Reid, Zoran Martinovich, Sanford Finkel, Judy Statsinger, Robyn Golden, Kathryne Harter, Phyllis C. Zee*

*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

231 Scopus citations

Abstract

Objective: The objective of this study was to determine the occurrence and recognition of common sleep-related problems and their relationship to health-related quality-of-life measures in the elderly. Method: A total of 1,503 participants with a mean age of 75.5 (± 6.8, range: 62-100) years from 11 primary care sites serving primarily elderly patients were interviewed. Subjects completed a five-item sleep questionnaire and the SF-12. A Physical Component Summary (PCS-12) and Mental Component Summary (MCS-12) score was calculated. A systematic medical chart review was conducted to determine whether sleep problems were identified by the healthcare providers. Results: A total of 68.9% of patients reported at least one sleep complaint and 40% had two or more. Participants most commonly endorsed (45%) that they had "difficulty falling asleep, staying asleep, or being able to sleep." The number and type of sleep problems endorsed was associated with both physical and mental health quality-of-life status. Excessive daytime sleepiness was the best predictor of poor mental and physical health-related quality of life. Even when all five sleep questions were endorsed, a sleep complaint was only reported in the chart 19.2% of the time. Conclusions: When elicited, sleep complaints predicted the general physical and mental health-related quality-of-life status in elderly populations with comorbid medical and mental illnesses. Yet, questions regarding sleep are not an integral component of most clinical evaluations. Given the growing evidence of a relationship between sleep and health, identification of sleep disorders could lead to improved management of common age-related chronic illnesses and quality of life of elderly patients.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Pages (from-to)860-866
Number of pages7
JournalAmerican Journal of Geriatric Psychiatry
Volume14
Issue number10
DOIs
StatePublished - Oct 2006

Funding

Support for this project was provided by the Council for Jewish Elderly through the sponsorship of Michael Reese Health Trust, The Retirement Research Foundation, Illinois Department on Aging, Washington Square Health Foundation, Foundation for Health Enhancement, The Field Foundation of Illinois, Janssen Pharmaceutical Company, Pfizer Inc., U.S. Pharmaceuticals Group Pharmaceuticals, Eli Lilly and Company, Novartis Pharmaceuticals Corporation , and 1K07 HL03891-02, 1P01 AG 11412 .

Keywords

  • Aging
  • Mental health
  • Physical health
  • Sleep

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Geriatrics and Gerontology
  • Psychiatry and Mental health

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