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High Prevalence Of Sleep Problems Found In The Elderly
A DGReview of :"Sleep Problems in a Very Old Population: Drug Use and Clinical Correlates"
Journals of Gerontology: Series A, Biological Sciences and Medical Sciences
04/26/2002
By Veronica Rose
Researchers found a high prevalence of sleep problems in the elderly, particularly among women and those with depression, chronic pain, or using hypnotics/sedatives.
Clinicians at the Karolinska Institute, Stockholm's Gerontology Research Centre, The National Board of Health and Welfare, and Stockholm University, in Stockholm, designed a cross- sectional analysis to evaluate both the prevalence of sleep problems in the very elderly and how relative they were to drug use, physical and mental health.
A total of 641 subjects aged 81 and over participated in the study. Of these, 77.8 percent were female, 91 percent were non-institutionalized, and 68.6 percent lived alone. Comprehensive medical and psychiatric interviews and examinations were undertaken on all subjects. Additionally, the Clinical Psychopathological Rating Scale (CPRS) was used to assess sleep problems.
Chronic medical conditions exemplified by depression, dementia, pain, self rated health daily activities, hypnotic, sedative and both psychotropic and non psychotropic use were among the covariates included in the assessments.
Researchers determined that over a third of the participants had sleep problems. This was noted more frequently among women and those using a large number of drugs. Sleep problems were also related to poor self rated health, depression and pain.
Medications used among subjects suffering with sleep problems and depression, included antidepressants, (19.2 percent), and hypnotic-sedatives (46.2 percent). Analgesics were used by 63.2 percent. and hypnotics-sedatives by 47.0 percent among subjects with sleep problems and pain.
Hypnotics-sedatives, psychotropic and non-psychotropic drugs use also featured among subjects with one or more chronic diseases relative to sleep problems.
Following multivariate analysis, significant factors relative to sleep problems included female gender, depression, pain and the use of hypnotics- sedatives.
The Journals of Gerontology Series 2002 Vol 57, pages 236-240.
"Sleep Problems in a Very Old Population: Drug Use and Clinical Correlates"
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