Demographic, socioconomic, and health correlates of sleep quality and sleep duration among community-dwelling older adults in India

Abstract

Background

Recent research has revealed that today’s older adults report more sleep problems than their predecessors, a trend compounded by expanding social stratification. As such, this study examined the demographic, socioeconomic, and health correlates of sleep quality and sleep duration among community-dwelling older adults in India.

Methods

The current study sample draws on data from 7118 respondents aged 50 years and over participating in the World Health Organization’s Study on global AGEing and adult health (WHO-SAGE) wave-2 dataset. Sleep quality (good, moderate, and poor) and sleep duration (in hours and minutes) were self-reported. Adjusted multivariable logistic regression models were employed to examine the associations between sleep quality and sleep duration and several demographic, socioeconomic, and health indicators.

Results

A total of 12.84% and 36.1% of older adults reported long (> 8 h) and short (< 7 h) sleep, respectively. Older adults with primary education had lower odds of poor sleep [aOR: 0.85, CI: 0.73–0.99] than peers with no formal education. The odds of poor sleep were lower among those in higher wealth quintiles than those in the poorest quintile. Older adults with higher education had higher odds of short sleep [aOR: 1.36, CI: 1.06–1.74], and those with primary education had lower odds of long sleep [aOR: 0.70, CI: 0.54–0.91] than those without formal education (base category: age-appropriate sleep, i.e., 7–8 h). Older adults who were widowed had lower odds of both short [aOR: 0.82, CI: 0.68–0.98] and long sleep [aOR:0.74, CI: 0.58–0.95] compared to those who were currently married. Older individuals with adequate nutritional intake reported lower odds of short [aOR:0.59, CI: 0.49–0.72] and higher odds of long sleep [aOR:1.52, CI: 1.20–1.93] relative to their counterparts. Older adults who reported chronic conditions and body pain had higher odds of poor sleep and short sleep than their counterparts.

Conclusions

We identified significant associations between several unmodifiable factors, including age, education, and marital status, and modifiable factors such as dietary intake, body pain, and pre-existing chronic ailments, and sleep quality and sleep duration. Our findings can assist health care providers and practitioners in developing a more holistic and empathic approach to care. Moreover, that several demographic, socioeconomic, and health-related factors are consequential for older adults’ sleep health suggests that early detection through screening programs and community-based interventions is vital to improving sleep among older Indians who are most susceptible to sleep problems.