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A nationwide study on pain manifestations and sleep problems in community-dwelling older adults: findings from ELSI-Brazil

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Key summary points

AbstractSection Aim

To investigate the association between self-reported sleep problems and pain manifestations.

AbstractSection Findings

Older adults with poor sleep quality, initial, intermediate and final insomnia, and daytime sleepiness had greater odds of reporting frequent pain and pain-related disability.

AbstractSection Message

The results may help in the proposition of programs and public health policies and inform health professionals about the importance of assessing the sleep quality of their patients.

Abstract

Purpose

Sleep problems are common and affect approximately 36–70% of older adults worldwide and can be associated with negative outcomes such as pain. There is believed to be a bidirectional relationship between sleep problems and pain, modulated by inflammation and stress. The objective was to investigate the association between self-reported sleep problems and pain manifestations.

Methods

A cross-sectional study using data from the second wave of the Brazilian Longitudinal Study of Aging (2019–2021) was conducted. The exposure variables were self-reported sleep problems: poor sleep quality, insomnia (initial, intermediate, and final), and daytime sleepiness. The outcomes were self-reported pain manifestations: frequent pain, moderate/intense/strong pain, and pain-related disability. Logistic regressions were performed to verify the association between exposures and outcomes.

Results

A total of 6875 community-dwelling older adults participated in this study (71.1 ± 8.3 years; 54.4% female). Older adults with self-reported poor sleep quality, initial, intermediate and final insomnia, and daytime sleepiness had, respectively, 1.99 (95% CI 1.57–2.53), 1.47 (95% CI 1.11–1.97), 1.65 (95% CI 1.27–2.14), 1.69 (95% CI 1.29–2.22), and 1.76 (95% CI 1.35–2.29) greater odds of reporting frequent pain. The odds of moderate/intense/strong pain were higher in older adults that reported poor sleep quality (OR: 2.21; 95% CI 1.08–4.51). Older adults with self-reported poor sleep quality, initial, intermediate and final insomnia, and daytime sleepiness had, respectively, 1.84 (95% CI 1.11–3.02), 1.73 (95% CI 1.14–2.62), 1.80 (95% CI 1.19–2.73), 1.58 (95% CI 1.07–2.34), and 1.63 (95% CI 1.11–2.39) greater odds of reporting pain-related disability.

Conclusion

Self-reported sleep problems are associated with pain manifestations in older adults. The results may help in the proposition of programs and public health policies.

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Availability of data and materials

The datasets used and/or analyzed during the current study are available from the corresponding author upon reasonable request.

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Funding

The ELSI-Brazil was supported by the Brazilian Ministry of Health: Department of Science and Technology from the Secretariat of Science, Technology and Strategic Inputs-DECIT/SCTIE (Grants: 404965/2012-1 and TED 28/2017) and Health Coordination of the Older Person in Primary Care, Department of Life Course from the Secretariat of Primary Health Care—COPID/DECIV/SAPS (Grants: 20836, 22566, 23700, 25560, 25552, and 27510).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Postgraduate Program in Neuroscience, Center of Biological Sciences, Federal University of Santa Catarina, Department of Pharmacology, R. Eng. Agronômico Andrei Cristian Ferreira, s/n, Florianópolis, Santa Catarina, 88040-900, Brazil

    Jaquelini Betta Canever & Helena Iturvides Cimarosti

  2. Laboratory of Aging, Resources and Rheumatology, Department of Health Sciences, Federal University of Santa Catarina, Campus Araranguá, Rod. Governador Jorge Lacerda, Urussanguinha, 320188906-072, Araranguá, Santa Catarina, Brazil

    Jaquelini Betta Canever, Letícia Martins Cândido, Ana Lúcia Danielewicz & Núbia Carelli Pereira de Avelar

  3. Center for Studies in Public Health and Aging, Federal University of Minas Gerais and Oswaldo Cruz Foundation-Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais, Brazil

    Bruno de Souza Moreira & Maria Fernanda Lima-Costa

  4. Federal University of Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais, Brazil

    Maria Fernanda Lima-Costa

Authors
  1. Jaquelini Betta Canever
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  2. Letícia Martins Cândido
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  3. Bruno de Souza Moreira
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  4. Ana Lúcia Danielewicz
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  6. Maria Fernanda Lima-Costa
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Jaquelini Betta Canever.

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This study was approved by the Research Ethics Committee of the Oswaldo Cruz Foundation, Minas Gerais, Brazil (CAAE: 34649814.3.0000.5091).

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Canever, J.B., Cândido, L.M., de Souza Moreira, B. et al. A nationwide study on pain manifestations and sleep problems in community-dwelling older adults: findings from ELSI-Brazil. Eur Geriatr Med 14, 307–315 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1007/s41999-023-00751-8

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