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Functional status in the elderly with insomnia

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Abstract

Background:

Insomnia causes psychological distress in the elderly. Besides primary insomnia (PI), illness, medications and psychosocial factors contribute to development of sleep disorders. Although elderly insomniacs usually complain of poorer daytime functioning, it is unknown whether the disorder affects capacity to carry out activities.

Objective:

To assess the relationship in the elderly between PI, level of physical functioning, depression and anxiety symptoms, state of psychological well-being and consumption of psychopharmaceuticals.

Design:

Cross-sectional, observational study.

Setting

Populational.

Subjects:

About 424 non-institutionalized elderly patients.

Methods

Subjects were interviewed at public Health Centres or at home. They were considered to have PI if DSM-IV criteria were met. The remaining variables measured were: depression and anxiety symptoms (The Goldberg’s Depression and Anxiety Scale), cognitive state (Short Portable Mental Status Questionnaire), physical functioning (The Katz Index and the Instrumental Activities of Daily Living Scale), life satisfaction (The Philadelphia Geriatric Center Morale Scale), health problems, consumption of pharmaceuticals and sociodemographic variables.

Results:

About 34.2% of the elderly admitted to having problems with sleep, but only 20.3% (CI: 95%: 16.5–24.1) fulfilled the criteria for PI. The existence of an anxiety disorder, a score below the 50th percentile on The Philadelphia Geriatric Center Morale Scale (lower life satisfaction) and consumption of psychopharmaceuticals were variables associated with insomnia. Amongst the most common illnesses reported, only diabetes appeared with significantly higher frequency in the elderly with insomnia (24.4% vs. 14.7%) (p < 0.05). No statistically significant association was found between insomnia and level of dependence in carrying out basic or instrumental activities.

Conclusions:

Approximately one fifth of the non-institutionalized elderly meet the criteria for PI. Those affected present a poorer state of psychological and social well-being, although level of autonomy for conducting basic and instrumental activities does not appear to be modified by the disorder. The existence of an anxiety disorder, low life satisfaction and consumption of psychopharmaceuticals constitute variables associated with PI in the population we studied.

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Acknowledgements

This study was financed by the Consejería de Sanidad de la Junta de Comunidades de Castilla-La Mancha (Resolution 22/07/2002, file no. 02048, D.O.C.M. no. 91 from July 26th, 2002) and supported by the REDIAPP (Red de Investigación en Actividades Preventivas y de Promoción de la Salud en Atención Primaria).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Primary Care Head Office and Faculty of Medicine, University of Castilla-La Mancha, C/ Marqués de Villores n° 6, 02001, Albacete, Spain

    Jesús López-Torres Hidalgo

  2. Primary Care Head Office, C/ Marqués de Villores n° 6, 02001, Albacete, Spain

    Clotilde Boix Gras

  3. Primary Care Center Zona VII, C/ Bilbao n° 22, 02005, Albacete, Spain

    Yolanda David García

  4. Primary Care Center Zona VB, C/ Profesor Macedonio Jiménez s/n, 02005, Albacete, Spain

    Juan Téllez Lapeira

  5. Primary Care Center Ossa de Montiel, C/ Ramon y Cajal s/n, Ossa de Montiel, 02611, Albacete, Spain

    José María del Campo del Campo

  6. University General Hospital Albacete and Faculty of Medicine, University of Castilla-La Mancha, C/ Francisco Javier de Moya s/n, 02006, Albacete, Spain

    María Ángeles López Verdejo

Authors
  1. Jesús López-Torres Hidalgo
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  2. Clotilde Boix Gras
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  3. Yolanda David García
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  4. Juan Téllez Lapeira
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  5. José María del Campo del Campo
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  6. María Ángeles López Verdejo
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Correspondence to Jesús López-Torres Hidalgo.

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Hidalgo, J.LT., Gras, C.B., García, Y.D. et al. Functional status in the elderly with insomnia. Qual Life Res 16, 279–286 (2007). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11136-006-9125-9

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11136-006-9125-9

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