Background and objective: This study compared sleep disturbances between older adults living in nursing home located in high- and low-altitude areas and explored the association between sleep disturbances and quality of life (QoL).
Method: In total, 207 participants living in a high-altitude area and 437 participants in a low-altitude area were included. Sleep disturbances (ie, difficulty in initiating sleep, difficulty in maintaining sleep, and early morning awakening) were measured using standardized questions. The independent demographic and clinical correlates of sleep disturbances in high-altitude area were examined using multiple logistic regression analyses. Each type of sleep disturbance was entered as the dependent variable separately, while those with significant group differences in the univariate analyses (ie, male gender, married status, age and depressive symptoms) were entered as independent variables.
Results: The prevalence of any type of sleep disturbances in the whole sample was 26.09%, with 41.54% in the high-altitude area and 18.76% in the low-altitude area. Physical, psychological, social, and environmental QoL domains were negatively associated with sleep disturbances in high-altitude area. Multiple logistic regression analyses revealed that male gender and married status were less likely to have sleep disturbances, while those with more severe depressive symptoms were more likely to have sleep disturbances in high-altitude area.
Conclusion: Sleep disturbance is common among older nursing home residents in high-altitude areas. Considering the negative impact of sleep disturbance on QoL, regular screening and treatment strategies need to be developed directly for this population.
Keywords: high altitude; older adults; quality of life; sleep disturbance.