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.
Key Words
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Article info
Publication history
Accepted:
December 15,
2005
Received in revised form:
November 22,
2005
Received:
June 8,
2005
Footnotes
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.
Identification
Copyright
© 2006 American Association for Geriatric Psychiatry. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
