Relationship between sleep disturbances and multimorbidity among community-dwelling men and women aged 65-93 years: results from the KORA Age Study

Worldwide prevalence of sleep problems in community-dwelling older adults: A systematic review and meta-analysis

The understanding of the prevalence of sleep problems in older adults can provide a broad and reliable perspective into the occurrence of such issues among older adults. This systematic review and meta-analysis aimed to estimate the worldwide prevalence of sleep problems in community-dwelling older adults. Studies that provide information on the prevalence of sleep problems in community-dwelling older adults (≥60 years) were screened between December 2022 and March 2023. A total of 20,379 studies were identified in database searches, from which 252 were included in this review. These studies covered the last 35 years (from 1988 to 2023) and pooled a sample of 995,544 participants from 36 countries. The most frequent sleep problem worldwide was obstructive sleep apnea (46.0%), followed by poor sleep quality (40.0%), other sleep problems (37.0%), insomnia (29.0%), and excessive daytime sleepiness (19.0%). No significant difference in the prevalence estimates of all sleep problems was observed between the sexes. This systematic review and meta-analysis showed a high prevalence of some sleep problems, mainly obstructive sleep apnea, poor sleep quality, and other sleep problems. Our estimates can be useful for managers and policymakers in planning healthcare strategies for sleep problems aimed at the older population.

Impaired sleep, multimorbidity, and self-rated health among Canadians: Findings from a nationally representative survey

Background

Self-rated health (SRH) is a globally recognized measure of health status. Both impaired sleep (IS) and the presence of multimorbidity are related to poorer SRH, but the precise nature of these associations remains unclear. This study explored the association between IS, multimorbidity, and SRH among Canadian adults.

Method

We used 2017-18 Canadian Community Health Survey (CCHS) data for this study. The main variable of interest, self-rated health (SRH), measured participants' health on a 5-point Likert scale, later categorized as "good or better" vs. "fair or poor". The primary predictor, IS, was derived from two variables and categorized into four groups: no sleep issues; fewer sleeping hours (<7 hours) only; trouble sleeping only; and fewer hours & trouble sleeping. Multimorbidity was present (yes/no) if a participant indicated being diagnosed with two or more chronic conditions.

Results

Just over one in ten Canadians reported fair/poor SRH and approximately one-quarter had multimorbidity or experienced few sleep hours in combination with trouble sleeping. The adjusted model indicated greater odds of fair/poor SRH associated with the 40-64 years age group, male sex, and lower socio-economic status. It also suggested the presence of multimorbidity (AOR= 4.63, 95% CI: 4.06-5.28) and a combination of fewer sleep hours and troubled sleep (AOR= 4.05, 95% CI: 2.86-5.74) is responsible for poor SRH. Forty-four percent of the total effect of IS on SRH was mediated by multimorbidity.

Conclusion

This unique finding highlights the mediating role of multimorbidity, emphasizing the importance of addressing it alongside sleep issues for optimal health outcomes.

A nationwide study on sleep complaints and associated factors in older adults: ELSI-Brazil

Sleep problems, such as difficulty falling asleep, staying asleep, early awakening with failure to continue sleep, and altered sleep-wake cycle, are common in the general population. This cross-sectional study with 6,929 older adults (≥ 60 years) aimed to estimate the prevalence of different types of sleep problems, their associated factors, and the population-attributable fraction of associated factors among older adults. The outcome variables consisted of self-reported sleep problems: insomnia (initial, intermediate, late, and any type of insomnia), poor sleep quality, and daytime sleepiness. The independent variables were sociodemographic and behavioral characteristics and health conditions. The prevalence proportions were initial insomnia (49.1%), intermediate insomnia (49.2%), late insomnia (45.9%), any type of insomnia (58.6%), poor sleep quality (15.6%), and daytime sleepiness (38.4%). Female sex, presence of two or more chronic diseases, not eating the recommended amount of fruits and vegetables, and regular and bad/very bad self-rated health were positively associated with the sleep problems investigated. Consuming alcohol once a month or more was inversely associated with initial insomnia. Population attributable fraction estimates ranged from 3% to 19% considering two or more chronic diseases, not eating the recommended amount of fruits and vegetables, and regular and bad/very bad self-rated health. High prevalence of self-reported sleep problems was evinced in older adults. These results can be useful to guide public health services in the creation of informational, evaluative, and screening strategies for sleep problems in older Brazilian adults.

Development and validation of a multimorbidity risk prediction nomogram among Chinese middle-aged and older adults: a retrospective cohort study

OBJECTIVES

The aim of this study is to establish a self-simple-to-use nomogram to predict the risk of multimorbidity among middle-aged and older adults.

DESIGN

A retrospective cohort study.

PARTICIPANTS

We used data from the Chinese Longitudinal Healthy Longevity Survey, including 7735 samples.

MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES

Samples' demographic characteristics, modifiable lifestyles and depression were collected. Cox proportional hazard models and nomogram model were used to estimate the risk factors of multimorbidity.

RESULTS

A total of 3576 (46.2%) participants have multimorbidity. The result showed that age, female (HR 0.80, 95% CI 0.72 to 0.89), chronic disease (HR 2.59, 95% CI 2.38 to 2.82), sleep time (HR 0.78, 95% CI 0.72 to 0.85), regular physical activity (HR 0.88, 95% CI 0.81 to 0.95), drinking (HR 1.27 95% CI 1.16 to 1.39), smoking (HR 1.40, 95% CI 1.26 to 1.53), body mass index (HR 1.04, 95% CI 1.03 to 1.05) and depression (HR 1.02, 95% CI 1.01 to 1.03) were associated with multimorbidity. The C-index of nomogram models for derivation and validation sets were 0.70 (95% CI 0.69 to 0.71, p=0.006) and 0.71 (95% CI 0.70 to 0.73, p=0.008), respectively.

CONCLUSIONS

We have crafted a user-friendly nomogram model for predicting multimorbidity risk among middle-aged and older adults. This model integrates readily available and routinely assessed risk factors, enabling the early identification of high-risk individuals and offering tailored preventive and intervention strategies.

The relationship between sleep health and multimorbidity in community dwelling populations: Systematic review and global perspectives

Previous research has identified a relationship between sleep problems and multimorbidity, defined as the co-occurrence of two or more chronic health conditions in the same individual. This systematic review sought to summarize the literature on the association between sleep duration and quality and multimorbidity in adult community-dwelling populations. A comprehensive search of the PubMed, Embase and CINAHL databases identified studies published between January 1990 and January 2023. Studies were included if they focused on community-dwelling populations, used an observational design, measured sleep quality or duration, used multimorbidity as the main study outcome, and explored the relationship between sleep and multimorbidity. Two reviewers independently conducted study screening, data extraction, and bias assessments. Twenty-four cross-sectional and five prospective cohort studies met the inclusion criteria, with studies from 16 countries and two with cross-country comparisons, and a total participant number of 481,862. Overall, poorer sleep quality and sleep duration outside current recommendations were consistently associated with multimorbidity, though with varying strength. This association was present regardless of specific multimorbidity definitions from different studies. Definitions of sleep duration and quality were inconsistent across studies, possibly contributing to mixed evidence on the observed association. Most studies were cross-sectional, limiting the assessment of the temporal direction of association. Our results corroborate relationships between poor sleep and risk of multimorbidity in adult community-dwelling populations around the world. Examining this relationship may help increase public health awareness of sleep as a modifiable risk factor for the prevention of chronic disease and healthy aging.

Managing medical and psychiatric multimorbidity in older patients

Aging increases susceptibility both to psychiatric and medical disorders through a variety of processes ranging from biochemical to pharmacologic to societal. Interactions between aging-related brain changes, emotional and psychological symptoms, and social factors contribute to multimorbidity - the presence of two or more chronic conditions in an individual - which requires a more patient-centered, holistic approach than used in traditional single-disease treatment guidelines. Optimal treatment of older adults with psychiatric and medical multimorbidity necessitates an appreciation and understanding of the links between biological, psychological, and social factors - including trauma and racism - that underlie physical and psychiatric multimorbidity in older adults, all of which are the topic of this review.

Sleep Problems Associate With Multimorbidity: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis

Objectives: To summarize the evidence on the association between sleep problems and multimorbidity. Methods: Six electronic databases (PubMed, Web of Science, Embase, China National Knowledge Infrastructure, VIP, and Wan fang) were searched to identify observational studies on the association between sleep problems and multimorbidity. A random-effects model was used to estimate the pooled odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals for multimorbidity. Results: A total of 17 observational studies of 133,575 participants were included. Sleep problems included abnormal sleep duration, insomnia, snoring, poor sleep quality, obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) and restless legs syndrome (RLS). The pooled ORs (95% CIs) for multimorbidity were 1.49 (1.24-1.80) of short sleep duration, 1.21 (1.11-1.44) of long sleep duration and 2.53 (1.85-3.46) for insomnia. The association of other sleep problems with multimorbidity was narratively summarized due to limited number of comparable studies. Conclusion: Abnormal sleep duration and insomnia are associated with higher odds of multimorbidity, while the evidence on association of snoring, poor sleep quality, obstructive sleep apnea and restless legs syndrome with multimorbidity remains inconclusive. Interventions targeting sleep problems should be delivered for better management of multimorbidity.

Association of longitudinal patterns of nighttime sleep duration and daytime napping duration with risk of multimorbidity

OBJECTIVES

To determine whether longitudinal trajectories of nighttime sleep duration and daytime napping duration are related to subsequent multimorbidity risk. To explore whether daytime napping can compensate for negative effects of short nighttime sleep.

METHODS

The current study included 5262 participants from China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study. Self-reported nighttime sleep duration and daytime napping duration were collected from 2011 to 2015. The 4-year sleep duration trajectories were conducted by group-based trajectory modeling. The 14 medical conditions were defined by self-reported physician diagnoses. Multimorbidity was diagnosed as participants with 2 or more of the 14 chronic diseases after 2015. Associations between sleep trajectories and multimorbidity were assessed by Cox regression models.

RESULTS

During 6.69 years of follow-up, we observed multimorbidity in 785 participants. Three nighttime sleep duration trajectories and three daytime napping duration trajectories were identified. Participants with persistent short nighttime sleep duration trajectory had the higher risk of multimorbidity (hazard ratio = 1.37, 95% confidence interval: 1.06-1.77), compared with those with persistent recommended nighttime sleep duration trajectory. Participants with persistent short nighttime sleep duration and persistent seldom daytime napping duration had the highest risk of multimorbidity (hazard ratio = 1.69, 95% confidence interval: 1.16-2.46).

CONCLUSIONS

In this study, persistent short nighttime sleep duration trajectory was associated with subsequent multimorbidity risk. Daytime napping could compensate for the risk of insufficient night sleep.

Assessment of Joint and Interactive Effects of Multimorbidity and Chronic Pain on ADRD Risk in the Elder Population

Objective

Multimorbidity and non-cancer chronic pain conditions (NCPC) are independently linked to elevated risk for cognitive impairment and incident Alzheimer's Disease and Related Dementias (ADRD)-both - We present the study of potential joint and interactive effects of these conditions on the risk of incident ADRD in older population.

Methods

This retrospective-cohort study drew baseline and 2-year follow-up data from linked Medicare claims and Medicare Current Beneficiary Survey (MCBS). Baseline multimorbidity and NCPC were ascertained using claims data. ADRD was ascertained at baseline and follow-up.

Results

NCPC accompanied by multimorbidity (vs. absence of NCPC or multimorbidity) had a significant and upward association with incident ADRD (adjusted odds ratio (AOR): 1.72, 95% CI 1.38, 2.13, p < 0.0001). Secondary analysis by number of comorbid conditions suggested that the joint effects of NCPC and multimorbidity on ADRD risk may increase with rising number contributing chronic conditions. Interaction analyses indicated significantly elevated excess risk for incident ADRD.

Association of Sleep Duration and Use of Sleeping Medication with Multimorbidity in Adults: Results from the PAMPA (Brazil) Cohort Study

Objective  To analyze the association of sleep duration and use of sleeping medication with multimorbidity. Materials and Methods  We conducted a cross-sectional study using data from the Prospective Study about Mental and Physical Health (PAMPA) cohort. Multimorbidity was defined as the presence of two or more conditions from a list of twelve health problems. Descriptive analyses were performed considering proportion and its 95% confidence interval (95%CI). We performed logistic regression (to obtain odds ratios, ORs) to estimate the associations, including models adjusted for confounding factors. Results  In total, 2,936 participants were included, 79,1% of them women, 54.2% aged between 18 and 39 years, and 88.9% with white skin color. Compared with regular sleep (seven to eight hours a day), five hours or less of sleep increased the odds of multimorbidity by 145% (95%CI: 1.90-3.14), and 9 hours or more of sleep increased the odds by 49% (95%CI: 1.14-1.95) for the crude model; the results remained significant even in the adjusted models. Discussion  Consumption of sleeping medication was associated with multimorbidity. Short and prolonged sleep duration increased the odds of multimorbidity, regardless of the sociodemographic and behavior characteristics. The regular use of sleeping medication was also associated with multimorbidity. The results of the present study are important but require caution due to reverse causality, and longitudinal studies are needed to confirm the findings.

Physical multimorbidity, suicidal ideation, and suicide attempts among adults aged ≥50 years from low- and middle-income countries

OBJECTIVES

The association between physical multimorbidity and suicidal ideation or suicide attempts among older adults from low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) is largely unknown. We aimed to assess this association as well as its mediators using nationally representative data from six LMICs.

METHODS

Cross-sectional, community-based data from the Study on Global Aging and Adult Health were analyzed. A total of 11 chronic physical conditions were assessed. Self-reported information on past 12-month suicidal ideation and suicide attempts was also collected. Multivariable logistic regression and mediation analyses were conducted.

RESULTS

The final sample consisted of 34,129 adults aged ≥50 years (mean [SD] age 62.4 (16.0) years; maximum age 114 years; 52.1% females). In the overall sample, physical multimorbidity was associated with increased odds for suicidal ideation (OR = 2.99; 95% CI = 2.06-4.34) and suicide attempts (OR = 2.79; 95% CI = 1.58-4.95), with the association being stronger in males than females. The association between multimorbidity and suicidal ideation or suicide attempts was largely mediated by pain/discomfort (mediated% 33.3%-44.2%), sleep/energy (28.2%-33.8%), and mobility limitations (26.6%-34.8%).

CONCLUSIONS

Physical multimorbidity among older adults in LMICs was associated with a substantially increased risk for suicidal ideation and suicide attempts. Addressing the identified mediators in people with physical multimorbidity may aid in the prevention of suicidal ideation and suicide attempts.

Effects and differences of sleep duration on the risk of new-onset chronic disease conditions in middle-aged and elderly populations

BACKGROUND

Few longitude cohort studies investigated the risk of the duration of nighttime sleep and naps to the new-onset common chronic disease conditions (CDCs) in middle-aged (45-60) and the elderly (age ≥ 60) populations using an age-stratified strategy.

METHODS

The 7025 participants from The China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study were screened as eligible subjects. Established 13 cohorts with CDCs, acquired their' sleep records in 2011, and obtained new-onset incidents of CDCs during follow-up in 2011-2018. Performed risk association analyses between sleep duration and 13 new-onset CDCs respectively.

RESULTS

New-onset risk of four CDCs decreased with increasing nighttime sleep (p-nonlinear>0.05). The risk threshold was approximately 7 hours in middle-aged people and 6 hours in the elderly. For the middle-aged population, compared with 7-9hours sleep, <5hour and 5-7hours nighttime sleep were associated with 1.312∼1.675 times more risk of hypertension, kidney disease, diabetes or high blood sugar status, and multimorbidity; Compared with no nap, a 0-30 min nap was associated with 1.413(1.087∼1.837) times the heart disease risk. In the elderly, < 5 hours of night sleep was a significant risk factor for four CDCs including kidney disease and multimorbidity, etc. A long night's sleep (>9 hours) was connected with 61.2% reduction in risk of memory disease, a >90 min nap increased 62% risk of memory disease, and a 0-30 min nap was associated with higher risks of heart disease, hypertension, and a lower kidney disease risk.

CONCLUSIONS

Nighttime sleep and daytime naps may have their own implications for the new-onset CDCs' risk in the aging process.

Prevalence of Non-Communicable Diseases and Its Associated Factors Among Urban Elderly of Six Indian States

Aims

The aim of this study is to investigate the prevalence, impact of health determinants on non-communicable diseases (NCDs), and multimorbidity among urban elderly in India.

Methods

This is a cross-sectional study involving a total of 1,671 (870 male and 801 female) respondents aged 60-80 years. Multistage sampling was used for the recruitment of the participants. A total of 12 sample areas from 12 cities of six southern states of south India were selected. Through survey form, information regarding demographic characteristics, health-influencing lifestyle factors, and history of nine NCDs was collected.

Results

The mean age of participants was 68.5 ± 6.01 years.. The prevalence of hypertension was 40.4%, followed by diabetes (31.2%), arthritis (22.1%), sensory impairment (10.1%), heart diseases (7.8%), and dyslipidemia (7.0%). 74.1% of participants had at least one morbidity, and 40.0% of people had multimorbidity. Being overweight is the highest risk health determinant for hypertension, diabetes, heart disease, high cholesterol, stroke, and joint pain. Obese people have 64% more risk of hypertension than people with normal BMI. People with disturbed sleep have increased risk of hypertension, high cholesterol, and joint pain by more than 80% compared to people with proper sleep. Among the modifiable health determinants of obesity, disturbed sleep, constipation, and physical activity up to 30 minutes were positively associated with multimorbidity. Those in the age group of 70 to 80 years have a high risk for NCDs and multimorbidity compared to those in the age group of 60 to 70 years.

Conclusions

A healthy lifestyle is necessary to reduce the burden of NCDs among the elderly. Developing holistic health policies seems an urgent need.

Association of sleep duration at age 50, 60, and 70 years with risk of multimorbidity in the UK: 25-year follow-up of the Whitehall II cohort study

BACKGROUND

Sleep duration has been shown to be associated with individual chronic diseases but its association with multimorbidity, common in older adults, remains poorly understood. We examined whether sleep duration is associated with incidence of a first chronic disease, subsequent multimorbidity and mortality using data spanning 25 years.

METHODS AND FINDINGS

Data were drawn from the prospective Whitehall II cohort study, established in 1985 on 10,308 persons employed in the London offices of the British civil service. Self-reported sleep duration was measured 6 times between 1985 and 2016, and data on sleep duration was extracted at age 50 (mean age (standard deviation) = 50.6 (2.6)), 60 (60.3 (2.2)), and 70 (69.2 (1.9)). Incidence of multimorbidity was defined as having 2 or more of 13 chronic diseases, follow-up up to March 2019. Cox regression, separate analyses at each age, was used to examine associations of sleep duration at age 50, 60, and 70 with incident multimorbidity. Multistate models were used to examine the association of sleep duration at age 50 with onset of a first chronic disease, progression to incident multimorbidity, and death. Analyses were adjusted for sociodemographic, behavioral, and health-related factors. A total of 7,864 (32.5% women) participants free of multimorbidity had data on sleep duration at age 50; 544 (6.9%) reported sleeping ≤5 hours, 2,562 (32.6%) 6 hours, 3,589 (45.6%) 7 hours, 1,092 (13.9%) 8 hours, and 77 (1.0%) ≥9 hours. Compared to 7-hour sleep, sleep duration ≤5 hours was associated with higher multimorbidity risk (hazard ratio: 1.30, 95% confidence interval = 1.12 to 1.50; p < 0.001). This was also the case for short sleep duration at age 60 (1.32, 1.13 to 1.55; p < 0.001) and 70 (1.40, 1.16 to 1.68; p < 0.001). Sleep duration ≥9 hours at age 60 (1.54, 1.15 to 2.06; p = 0.003) and 70 (1.51, 1.10 to 2.08; p = 0.01) but not 50 (1.39, 0.98 to 1.96; p = 0.07) was associated with incident multimorbidity. Among 7,217 participants free of chronic disease at age 50 (mean follow-up = 25.2 years), 4,446 developed a first chronic disease, 2,297 progressed to multimorbidity, and 787 subsequently died. Compared to 7-hour sleep, sleeping ≤5 hours at age 50 was associated with an increased risk of a first chronic disease (1.20, 1.06 to 1.35; p = 0.003) and, among those who developed a first disease, with subsequent multimorbidity (1.21, 1.03 to 1.42; p = 0.02). Sleep duration ≥9 hours was not associated with these transitions. No association was found between sleep duration and mortality among those with existing chronic diseases. The study limitations include the small number of cases in the long sleep category, not allowing conclusions to be drawn for this category, the self-reported nature of sleep data, the potential for reverse causality that could arise from undiagnosed conditions at sleep measures, and the small proportion of non-white participants, limiting generalization of findings.

CONCLUSIONS

In this study, we observed short sleep duration to be associated with risk of chronic disease and subsequent multimorbidity but not with progression to death. There was no robust evidence of an increased risk of chronic disease among those with long sleep duration at age 50. Our findings suggest an association between short sleep duration and multimorbidity.

Associations between sleep patterns, smoking, and alcohol use among older adults in Canada: Insights from the Canadian Longitudinal Study on Aging (CLSA)

Poor sleep is associated with chronic health conditions among older adults. As substance use rates increase in this population, age-related physiological and cognitive declines may exacerbate its detrimental consequences, including sleep problems. We analyzed cross-sectional associations between sleep patterns, smoking, and alcohol use using baseline data from 30,097 community-dwelling Canadian adults aged 45-85 years from the Canadian Longitudinal Study on Aging. Insomnia symptoms (difficulties falling/staying asleep), sleep duration (short:<6h; long:>8h), and sleep satisfaction(dissatisfied/neutral/satisfied) were measured. Smoking and alcohol-use frequency (past 12 months), average daily amount (past 30 days), and binge drinking (past 12 months) were self-reported, and associations were examined using modified Poisson regression. Approximately 23% of participants had insomnia symptoms, and 26% reported sleep dissatisfaction. 91% of participants were current non-smokers, whereas 7% reported smoking daily. Over 50% drank ≤ 2 drinks daily, and 3% reported binge drinking. There was a higher adjusted prevalence of insomnia among daily smokers (PR = 1.10, 95% CI = 1.00-1.21) and binge drinkers (PR = 1.21, 95% CI = 1.02-1.43). Odds of short sleep duration were lower among regular drinkers (COR = 0.71, 95% CI = 0.56-0.90) and higher among daily smokers (COR = 1.19, 95% CI = 1.01-1.40). Heavy and frequent smoking and alcohol use are associated with both insomnia symptoms and sleep dissatisfaction, but not consistently with sleep duration. Further longitudinal investigation of this relationship in aging populations is needed in clinical and public health settings to infer the extent of causality and design effective public health interventions in this vulnerable population.

Association between sleep and multimorbidity in Chinese elderly: Results from the Chinese Longitudinal Healthy Longevity Survey (CLHLS)

OBJECTIVE

Abnormal sleep duration and poor sleep quality were associated with multiple diseases. However, the association between sleep behavior (including sleep duration and quality) and multimorbidity among the elderly remains unclear. Thus, our study aimed to explore this association in the Chinese elderly.

METHODS

We conducted a cross-sectional study using data from the Chinese Longitudinal Healthy Longevity Survey (2014 wave). Nineteen chronic diseases were used to measure multimorbidity. Self-reported nighttime sleep duration and sleep quality were used as exposures. Multivariate logistic regression analysis and stratification were used to explore the association between sleep behavior and multimorbidity in different groups. Restrictive cubic splines were used to examine the exposure-response relationship.

RESULTS

Compared with those with nighttime sleep duration between 7 and 9 h, participants with shorter (<7 h) and longer (>9 h) sleep duration had a higher prevalence of multimorbidity (odds ratio [OR], 95% confidence interval [CI] were 1.38, 1.18-1.61 and 1.30, 1.09-1.56 respectively). Besides, poor sleep quality (OR = 2.25, 95% CI:1.82-2.72) and moderate sleep quality (OR = 1.35, 95% CI:1.16-1.58) were positively associated with multimorbidity.

CONCLUSIONS

Although the role of sleep behavior in multimorbidity has not been fully understood, this study highlighted the importance of normal nighttime sleep duration and good sleep quality in preventing multimorbidity.

The Lifestyle Profile of Individuals with Cardiovascular and Endocrine Diseases in Cyprus: A Hierarchical, Classification Analysis

The study aims to explore the lifestyle profile of adult individuals with cardiovascular and endocrine diseases in Cyprus. Age and sex-specific analyses were applied. A representative sample of the general adult population was recruited during 2018–2019 using stratified sampling among the five government-controlled municipalities of the Republic of Cyprus. Data on Mediterranean diet adherence, quality of sleep, smoking status, physical activity, Body Mass Index, and the presence of cardiovascular and endocrine diseases were collected using a validated questionnaire. Diseases were classified according to the International Classification of Diseases, Tenth Revision (ICD-10). A total of 1140 men and women over 18 years old (range: 18–94) participated in the study. The prevalence of cardiovascular and endocrine diseases among the adult general population of Cyprus was 24.8% and 17.2%, respectively, with a higher prevalence of cardiovascular diseases in men, and a higher prevalence of endocrine diseases in women. Among individuals with cardiovascular disease, 23.3% were aged between 18–44 years old, while the corresponding percentage among endocrine disease individuals was 48%. The prevalence of smoking, physical activity, a low adherence to the Mediterranean diet, poor quality of sleep and obesity among the study population was 35.5%, 48.0%, 32.9%, 39.0% and 13.6%, respectively. Individuals with cardiovascular and endocrine diseases were characterized by poor quality of sleep, inadequate physical activity, and a higher BMI. This is the first study in Cyprus exploring the profile of individuals with cardiovascular and endocrine diseases in Cyprus. Health promotion and educational programs focusing on the importance of sleep quality, healthier dietary habits, physical activity, and lower BMIs among people with cardiovascular and endocrine diseases should be developed.

Multimorbidity increases the risk for sarcopenia onset: Longitudinal analyses from the English Longitudinal Study of Ageing

BACKGROUND

Cross-sectional studies have demonstrated that multimorbidity is associated with sarcopenia. However, to date, this association has not been extensively investigated longitudinally. Therefore, the aim of the present paper was to explore the association between multimorbidity at baseline and sarcopenia onset over 12 years of follow-up in a large representative sample of the English older adult population.

METHODS

Representative data from the English Longitudinal Study of Ageing (ELSA) were analyzed. Multimorbidity at baseline was defined as ≥2 medical conditions, of 17 conditions included. Participants were considered to have sarcopenia if they had low handgrip strength and skeletal muscle mass (i.e., lower skeletal mass index) at waves 4, 6, 8. Multivariable logistic regression analysis was conducted to assess prospective associations between multimorbidity at baseline and sarcopenia at follow-up.

RESULTS

2873 older participants (mean age: 69.1 years, 54% females) who did not have sarcopenia at baseline were included. The prevalence of multimorbidity at baseline was 57.3%. Over twelve years of follow-up, 394 participants (=13.7% of the initial population) became sarcopenic. The presence of multimorbidity at baseline was associated with an increased risk of sarcopenia during follow-up (OR = 2.06; 95%CI: 1.61-2.62) in the univariable analysis, and even after adjusting for multiple potential confounders (OR = 1.23; 95%CI: 1.01-1.61).

CONCLUSIONS

In this large representative sample of older adults from the UK, multimorbidity at baseline was associated with a higher risk of sarcopenia during twelve-year follow-up. It may be prudent to target those with multimorbidity to aid in the prevention of sarcopenia.

Physical multimorbidity and incident urinary incontinence among community-dwelling adults aged ≥50 years: findings from a prospective analysis of the Irish Longitudinal Study on Ageing

BACKGROUND

There are no prospective studies on the association between multimorbidity and urinary incontinence (UI), while mediators in this association are unknown. Thus, we aimed to (i) investigate the longitudinal association between multimorbidity and UI in a large sample of Irish adults aged ≥50 years and (ii) investigate to what extent physical activity, polypharmacy, cognitive function, sleep problems, handgrip strength and disability mediate the association.

METHODS

Data on 5,946 adults aged ≥50 years old from the Irish Longitudinal Study on Aging were analysed. The baseline survey was conducted between 2009 and 2011 and follow-up after 2 years was conducted. Information on self-reported occurrence of UI in the past 12 months and lifetime diagnosis of 14 chronic conditions were obtained. Multivariable logistic regression and mediation analysis were conducted.

RESULTS

After adjustment for potential confounders, compared to having no chronic conditions at baseline, having three (odds ratio [OR] = 1.79; 95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.30-2.48) and four or more (OR = 1.86; 95% CI = 1.32-2.60), chronic conditions were significantly associated with incident UI. Mediation analysis showed that polypharmacy, sleep problems and disability explained 22.7, 17.8 and 14.7% of the association between multimorbidity (i.e. two or more chronic conditions) and incident UI, respectively.

CONCLUSION

A greater number of chronic conditions at baseline were associated with a higher risk for incident UI at 2-year follow-up among adults aged ≥50 years in Ireland. Considering the effects of different medications on UI and improving sleep quality and disability among people aged ≥50 years with multimorbidity may reduce the incidence of UI.

Quality of Sleep in the Cypriot Population and Its Association With Multimorbidity: A Cross-Sectional Study

Poor sleep is a relatively common condition with possibly serious adverse health consequences. Lack of sleep affects the endocrine, immune, and nervous systems. In Cyprus, there is no information about the quality of sleep in the population. The goal of this study was to assess the quality of sleep in the Cypriot population and evaluate its association with multimorbidity. A representative sample of the adult population of Cyprus was selected in 2018-2019 among the five government-controlled municipalities of the Republic of Cyprus using stratified sampling. Data on sleep quality as well as on the presence of chronic, clinical, and mental health conditions were collected using a validated questionnaire. Diseases were classified according to the International Classification of Diseases, 10th Revision (ICD-10). A total of 1,140 Cypriot men and women over 18-years of age (range: 18-94) participated in the study. The median Pittsburgh sleep quality index score of the participants was 5 (first quartile = 3, third quartile = 7) with the maximum score being 17, which suggests that the Cypriot population has a relatively good quality of sleep overall, although, almost one-third of the study population had a poor quality of sleep. Women, residents of Paphos, and married people had a poorer quality of sleep (p < 0.05). Having a poor quality of sleep was associated with higher odds of multimorbidity (OR = 2.21, 95% CI: 1.55, 3.16), even after adjusting for demographics, socioeconomic, and lifestyle factors. Adopting good sleep habits could be beneficial and would potentially help reduce the risk of multimorbidity. Public health guidelines regarding the importance of sleep and its association with multimorbidity should be considered.

The prevalence of multimorbidity and its association with physical activity and sleep duration in middle aged and elderly adults: a longitudinal analysis from China

Background

Preventing chronic disease is important in health policy in countries with significantly ageing populations. This study aims to examine the prevalence of chronic disease multimorbidity and its association with physical activity and sleep duration; and to understand whether physical activity modifies associations between sleep duration and multimorbidity.

Methods

We utilized longitudinal data of a nationally-representative sample from the China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study (in year 2011 and 2015; N = 5321; 54.7% female; age ≥ 45 years old). Fourteen chronic diseases were used to measure multimorbidity (ten self-reported, and four by blood test). Participants were grouped into high, moderate, and low level based on self-reported frequencies and durations of physical activity with different intensities for at least 10 min at a time in a usual week. Poor and good sleepers were categorized according to average hours of actual sleep at each night during the past month. Panel data method of random-effects logistic regression model was applied to estimate the association of physical activity and sleep with multimorbidity, adjusting for social-demographic and behavioural confounders.

Results

From 2011 to 2015, the prevalence of multimorbidity increased from 52.2 to 62.8%. In 2015, the proportion of participants engaging in high, moderate, and low level of physical activity was 30.3, 24.4 and 45.3%, respectively, and 63.6% of adults had good sleep. For both genders, compared with good sleep, poor sleep was associated with higher odds of multimorbidity (OR = 1.527, 95% CI: 1.277, 1.825). Compared to the high-level group, participants with a low level of physical activity were significantly more likely to have multimorbidity (OR = 1.457, 95% CI: 1.277, 1.825), but associations were stronger among women. The relative excess risk due to interaction between poor sleep and moderate or low physical activity was positive but non-significant on multimorbidity.

Conclusions

The burden of multimorbidity was high in China. Low physical activity and poor sleep was independently and significantly associated with a higher likelihood of multimorbidity in women and both genders, separately. Physical activity could modify the association between sleep and multimorbidity.

Supplementary Information

The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s12966-021-01150-7.

SymTrak-8 as a Brief Measure for Assessing Symptoms in Older Adults

BACKGROUND

Patient- and caregiver-reported 23-item SymTrak scales were validated for monitoring clinically actionable symptoms and impairments associated with multiple chronic conditions (MCCs) in older adults. Items capture physical and emotional symptoms and impairments in physical and cognitive functioning. An abbreviated SymTrak is desirable when response burden is a concern.

OBJECTIVE

Develop and validate the 8-item SymTrak.

DESIGN AND PARTICIPANTS

Secondary analysis of SymTrak validation study; 600 participants (200 patient-caregiver dyads; 200 patients without an identified caregiver).

MAIN MEASURES

Demographic questions, SymTrak, and Health Utility Index Mark 3 (HUI3).

KEY RESULTS

SymTrak-8 demonstrated good fit to a one-factor model using confirmatory factor analysis (CFA). Concurrent criterion validity was supported by high standardized linear regression coefficients (STB) between baseline SymTrak-8 total score (independent variable) and baseline HUI3 preference-based overall HRQOL utility score (dependent variable; 0 = death, 1 = perfect health), after adjusting for demographics, comorbid conditions, and medications, with strength comparable to SymTrak-23 (STB = - 0.81 and - 0.84, respectively, for SymTrak-8 and SymTrak-23, when patient-reported; and - 0.60 and - 0.62, respectively, when caregiver-reported). Coefficient alpha (0.74; 0.76) and 24-h test-retest reliability (0.83; 0.87) were high for SymTrak-8 for patients and caregivers, respectively. The convergent correlation between brief and parent SymTrak scales was high (0.94). SymTrak-8 demonstrated approximate normality and a linear relationship with SymTrak-23 and HUI3. Importantly, a 3-month change in SymTrak-8 was sensitive to detecting the criterion (3-month reliable change categories; improved, stable, declined in HUI3 overall utility), with results comparable to SymTrak-23.

CONCLUSIONS

SymTrak-8 total score demonstrates internal reliably, test-retest reliability, criterion validity, and sensitivity to change that are comparable to SymTrak-23. Thus, patient- or caregiver-reported SymTrak-8 is a viable option for identifying and monitoring the aggregate effect of symptoms and functional impairments in patients with multimorbidity when response burden is a concern.

Sex-Specific Moderation Effect of Age on the Associations Between Insomnia Symptoms and Various Psychological Distresses

BACKGROUND

Insomnia is closely related to psychological distress. This study aims to examine the role of age and sex in the association between various psychological distresses and insomnia symptoms.

PARTICIPANTS AND METHODS

This population-based study used data provided by cumulative respondents of the annual survey of the Taiwan Suicide Prevention Center between 2006 and 2019. Potential respondents were aged ≥15 years and were selected by a stratified proportional randomization method according to the distribution of population size, sex, and age in different geographic areas of Taiwan. The Five-Item Brief Symptom Rating Scale was used to measure insomnia symptoms and four psychological distresses: depression, anxiety, hostility, and inferiority. The independent relationship between insomnia symptoms with depression, anxiety, hostility, and inferiority was further examined according to age and sex.

RESULTS

A total of 28,649 participants were included (women, 50.2%). The four types of psychological distress correlated differentially with insomnia symptoms. Concerning interaction effects, sex moderated the interaction effects between age with depression, anxiety, and hostility. In men, and not in women, age moderated the relationship between insomnia symptoms and all four psychological distresses. Specifically, the effect sizes of the associations between insomnia symptoms and depression, anxiety, and hostility showed an age-dependent decreasing trend in men.

CONCLUSION

The associations between psychological distresses and insomnia symptoms varied in strength and according to age in a sex-specific manner.

Sleep disturbances and the speed of multimorbidity development in old age: results from a longitudinal population-based study

BACKGROUND

Sleep disturbances are prevalent among older adults and are associated with various individual diseases. The aim of this study was to investigate whether sleep disturbances are associated with the speed of multimorbidity development among older adults.

METHODS

Data were gathered from the Swedish National study of Aging and Care in Kungsholmen (SNAC-K), an ongoing population-based study of subjects aged 60+ (N = 3363). The study included a subsample (n = 1189) without multimorbidity at baseline (< 2 chronic diseases). Baseline sleep disturbances were derived from the Comprehensive Psychiatric Rating Scale and categorized as none, mild, and moderate-severe. The number of chronic conditions throughout the 9-year follow-up was obtained from clinical examinations. Linear mixed models were used to study the association between sleep disturbances and the speed of chronic disease accumulation, adjusting for sex, age, education, physical activity, smoking, alcohol consumption, depression, pain, and psychotropic drug use. We repeated the analyses including only cardiovascular, neuropsychiatric, or musculoskeletal diseases as the outcome.

RESULTS

Moderate-severe sleep disturbances were associated with a higher speed of chronic disease accumulation (ß/year = 0.142, p = 0.008), regardless of potential confounders. Significant positive associations were also found between moderate-severe sleep disturbances and neuropsychiatric (ß/year = 0.041, p = 0.016) and musculoskeletal (ß/year = 0.038, p = 0.025) disease accumulation, but not with cardiovascular diseases. Results remained stable when participants with baseline dementia, cognitive impairment, or depression were excluded.

CONCLUSION

The finding that sleep disturbances are associated with faster chronic disease accumulation points towards the importance of early detection and treatment of sleep disturbances as a possible strategy to reduce chronic multimorbidity among older adults.

Sleep behaviours and multimorbidity occurrence in middle-aged and older adults: findings from the Canadian Longitudinal Study on Aging (CLSA)

OBJECTIVE

Poor sleep quality and reduced sleep duration impact over half of older adults and are associated with adverse health outcomes, such as multiple chronic conditions (multimorbidity) and reduced longevity. Our objective was to examine the relationship between sleep behaviours and multimorbidity in Canada.

METHODS

We analysed data from the Canadian Longitudinal Study on Aging (CLSA), a cross-sectional national health survey of community-dwelling adults over the age of 45 years. A total of 30,011 participants had physiological and psychosocial data collected at baseline. Sleep measures included self-reported sleep duration (short: <6 h; normal: 6-8 h; long: >8 h) and sleep quality (dissatisfied/very dissatisfied; neutral; satisfied/very satisfied). Multimorbidity was defined using two definitions (public health and primary care) and two cut-points (2 or more and 3 or more chronic conditions).

RESULTS

Approximately 70% were living with multimorbidity using the primary care definition (females: 67.9%; males 57.9%), whereas approximately 30% were living with multimorbidity using the public health definition (females: 30.9%; males: 24.0%). Adjusted analyses indicated that the odds of multimorbidity were higher for participants who selfreported either short or long sleep duration, as well as dissatisfaction with sleep quality. Associations were stronger among younger age groups (45-54 years and 55-64 years).

CONCLUSIONS

Disrupted sleep may be a risk factor for multimorbidity across sexes and age groups. It is necessary to understand the potential impact of sleep on the risk of multimorbidity to inform both clinical and public health guidelines for the prevention and management of this major health issue.

Correlates of Sleep Disturbance among Older Adults with Mild Cognitive Impairment: A Cross-Sectional Study

Individuals with mild cognitive impairment (MCI) are at high risk for dementia development. Sleep disturbance is often overlooked in MCI, although it is an important risk factor of cognitive decline. In the absence of a cure for dementia, managing the risk factors of cognitive decline in MCI is likely to delay disease progression. To develop interventions for sleep disturbance in MCI, its related factors should be explored. This study aimed to identify and compare the correlates of sleep disturbance in older adults with MCI and those in cognitively healthy older adults. A comparative cross-sectional study was adopted. Data were obtained from 219 Chinese community-dwelling older adults (female: 70.3%), which consisted of 127 older adults with MCI and 92 age-matched cognitively healthy controls. The candidate correlates of sleep disturbance included socio-demographic correlates, health-related factors, lifestyle-related factors and psychological factor. Descriptive, correlational and regression statistics were used for data analysis. The prevalence of sleep disturbance in MCI was 70.1% compared to that of 56.5% in cognitively healthy controls (p < 0.001). The multivariate analysis indicated that, in participants with MCI, depressive symptoms (Beta = 0.297, p = 0.001), comorbidity burden (Beta = 0.215, p = 0.012) and physical activity (Beta = −0.297, p = 0.001) were associated with sleep disturbance. However, in the cognitively healthy controls, only depressive symptoms (Beta = 0.264, p = 0.028) and comorbidity burden (Beta = 0.361, p = 0.002) were associated with sleep disturbance. This finding highlights that sleep disturbance is sufficiently prominent to warrant evaluation and management in older adults with MCI. Furthermore, the findings elucidate several important areas to target in interventions aimed at promoting sleep in individuals with MCI.

Economic aspects of insomnia medication treatment among Medicare beneficiaries

STUDY OBJECTIVES

To examine economic aspects of insomnia and insomnia medication treatment among a nationally representative sample of older adult Medicare beneficiaries.

METHODS

Using a random 5% sample of Medicare administrative data (2006-2013), insomnia was defined using International Classification of Disease, Version 9, Clinical Modification diagnostic codes. Treatment was operationalized as one or more prescription fills for an US Food and Drug Administration (FDA)-approved insomnia medication following diagnosis, in previously untreated individuals. To evaluate the economic impact of insomnia treatment on healthcare utilization (HCU) and costs in the year following insomnia diagnosis, a difference-in-differences approach was implemented using generalized linear models.

RESULTS

A total of 23 079 beneficiaries with insomnia (M age = 71.7 years) were included. Of these, 5154 (22%) received one or more fills for an FDA-approved insomnia medication following insomnia diagnosis. For both treated and untreated individuals, HCU and costs increased during the 12 months prior to diagnosis. Insomnia treatment was associated with significantly increased emergency department visits and prescription fills in the year following insomnia diagnosis. After accounting for pre-diagnosis differences between groups, no significant differences in pre- to post-diagnosis costs were observed between treated and untreated individuals.

CONCLUSIONS

These results advance previous research into economics of insomnia disorder by evaluating the impact of medication treatment and highlighting important differences between treated and untreated individuals. Future studies should seek to understand why some individuals diagnosed with insomnia receive treatment but others do not, to identify clinically meaningful clusters of older adults with insomnia, and to explore the economic impact of insomnia and insomnia treatment among subgroups of individuals with insomnia, such as those with cardiovascular diseases, mood disorders, and neurodegenerative disease.

Insomnia in Older Adults

Purpose of Review

To evaluate and summarize recent research articles pertaining to insomnia in older adults that can guide healthcare providers on factors to consider when assessing and managing insomnia.

Recent Findings

Up to 75% of older adults experience symptoms of insomnia. Insomnia is associated with socioeconomic status, racial and ethnic classification, family relationships, medical and mental health disorders, cognitive function, and dementia. Although one-fifth of older adults are still prescribed sleep medications, cognitive behavioral therapy for insomnia is the first line treatment for insomnia, resulting in short-term and long-term benefits.

Summary

To manage insomnia safely and effectively, healthcare providers need to consistently assess for insomnia during baseline and annual assessments, evaluate medical and social factors associated with insomnia, minimize the use of sleep medications, and provide referrals to and/or collaborate with providers who perform cognitive behavioral therapy for insomnia. Insomnia screening is important as it facilitates early intervention with behavioral management, reduces the potential for pharmacological management, which increases fall risk in older adults, and enables further assessment and early identification of outcomes such as cognitive impairment.

Untreated insomnia increases all-cause health care utilization and costs among Medicare beneficiaries

STUDY OBJECTIVES

To examine the impact of untreated insomnia on health care utilization (HCU) among a nationally representative sample of Medicare beneficiaries.

METHODS

Our data source was a random 5% sample of Medicare administrative data for years 2006-2013. Insomnia was operationalized as the presence of at least one claim containing an insomnia-related diagnosis in any given year based on International Classification of Disease, Version 9, Clinical Modification codes or at least one prescription fill for an insomnia-related medication in Part D prescription drug files in each year. We compared HCU in the year prior to insomnia diagnosis to HCU among to non-sleep disordered controls during the same period.

RESULTS

A total of 151 668 beneficiaries were found to have insomnia. Compared to controls (n = 333 038), beneficiaries with insomnia had higher rates of HCU across all point of service locations. Rates of HCU were highest for inpatient care (rate ratio [RR] 1.61; 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.59, 1.64) and lowest for prescription fills (RR 1.17; 95% CI 1.16, 1.17). Similarly, compared to controls, beneficiaries with insomnia demonstrated $63,607 (95% CI $60,532, $66,685) higher all-cause costs, which were driven primarily by inpatient care ($60,900; 95% CI $56,609, $65,191). Emergency department ($1,492; 95% CI $1,387, $1,596) and prescription costs ($486; 95% CI $454, $518) were also elevated among cases relative to controls.

CONCLUSIONS

In this randomly selected and nationally representative sample of older Medicare beneficiaries and compared to non-sleep disordered controls, individuals with untreated insomnia demonstrated increased HCU and costs across all points of service.

Physical Activity Intensity is Associated with Symptom Distress in the CNICS Cohort

Symptom distress remains a challenging aspect of living with HIV. Physical activity is a promising symptom management strategy, but its effect on symptom distress has not been examined in a large, longitudinal HIV-infected cohort. We hypothesized that higher physical activity intensity would be associated with reduced symptom distress. We included 5370 people living with HIV (PLHIV) who completed patient-reported assessments of symptom distress, physical activity, alcohol and substance use, and HIV medication adherence between 2005 and 2016. The most frequent and burdensome symptoms were fatigue (reported by 56%), insomnia (50%), pain (46%), sadness (45%), and anxiety (45%), with women experiencing more symptoms and more burdensome symptoms than men. After adjusting for age, sex, race, time, HIV medication adherence, alcohol and substance use, site, and HIV RNA, greater physical activity intensity was associated with lower symptom intensity. Although individual symptoms may be a barrier to physical activity (e.g. pain), the consistent association between symptoms with physical activity suggests that more intense physical activity could mitigate symptoms experienced by PLHIV.

Associations between active travel and physical multi-morbidity in six low- and middle-income countries among community-dwelling older adults: A cross-sectional study

BACKGROUND

There is little evidence on the potential health benefits of active travel in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). The aim of this study was to assess the association between levels of active travel and physical multi-morbidity (i.e., two or more chronic physical conditions) and individual physical conditions among community-dwelling adults aged 65 or older in six LMICs.

METHODS

Data were analyzed from the World Health Organization's Study on Global Ageing and Adult Health (China, Ghana, India, Mexico, Russia, South Africa). Active travel (minutes / week) was assessed with questions of the Global Physical Activity Questionnaire (GPAQ) and presented in tertiles. Eleven chronic conditions (angina, arthritis, asthma, chronic back pain, chronic lung disease, diabetes, edentulism, hearing problems, hypertension, stroke, visual impairment) were assessed by self-report of diagnosis, symptoms, or blood pressure measurement. Multivariable logistic regression analysis was conducted to assess the association between levels of active travel, physical conditions and physical multi-morbidity.

RESULTS

The final sample consisted of 14,585 individuals aged ≥65 years (mean age = 72.6±0.1 years; 54.9% female). In the fully adjusted model, compared to the highest tertile, those in the lowest tertile of active travel had a 1.28 (95%CI = 1.06-1.54) times higher odds for physical multi-morbidity. The association between active travel and physical multi-morbidity was significantly mediated by affect (14.4%) and cognition (9.7%). With regard to individual conditions, hearing problems, hypertension, stroke, and visual impairment were particularly strongly associated with less active travel.

CONCLUSION

The current data suggest that lower levels of active travel are associated with the presence of physical health conditions and physical multi-morbidity. This multi-national study offers potentially valuable insight for a number of hypotheses which may influence this relationship, although testing with longitudinal studies is needed.

Medical Care Tasks among Spousal Dementia Caregivers: Links to Care-Related Sleep Disturbances

OBJECTIVE

Medical care tasks are commonly provided by spouses caring for persons living with dementia (PLWDs). These tasks reflect complex care demands that may interfere with sleep, yet their implications for caregivers' sleep outcomes are unknown. The authors evaluated the association between caregivers' medical/nursing tasks (keeping track of medications; managing tasks such as ostomy care, intravenous lines, or blood testing; giving shots/injections; and caring for skin wounds/sores) and care-related sleep disturbances.

METHODS

A retrospective analysis of cross-sectional data from the 2011 National Health and Aging Trends Study and National Study of Caregiving was conducted. Spousal caregivers and PLWDs/proxies were interviewed by telephone at home. The U.S. sample included 104 community-dwelling spousal caregivers and PLWDs. Caregivers reported on their sociodemographic and health characteristics, caregiving stressors, negative caregiving relationship quality, and sleep disturbances. PLWDs (or proxies) reported on their health conditions and sleep problems.

RESULTS

Caregivers who performed a higher number of medical/nursing tasks reported significantly more frequent care-related sleep disturbances, controlling for sociodemographic and health characteristics, caregiving stressors, negative caregiving relationship quality, and PLWDs' sleep problems and health conditions. Post hoc tests showed that wound care was independently associated with more frequent care-related sleep disturbances after accounting for the other medical/nursing tasks and covariates.

CONCLUSION

Spousal caregivers of PLWDs who perform medical/nursing tasks may be at heightened risk for sleep disturbances and associated adverse health consequences. Interventions to promote the well-being of both care partners may benefit from directly addressing caregivers' needs and concerns about their provision of medical/nursing care.