How well does Europe sleep? A cross-national study of sleep problems in European older adults

Vera van de Straat; Piet Bracke

doi:10.1007/s00038-015-0682-y

International Journal of Public Health

September 2015, Volume 60, Issue 6, pp 643–650

How well does Europe sleep? A cross-national study of sleep problems in European older adults

Authors
Authors and affiliations

Vera van de StraatEmail author
Piet Bracke

Original Article

First Online:: 15 May 2015

Received:: 28 November 2014
Revised:: 17 April 2015
Accepted:: 23 April 2015

3 Citations
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Abstract

Objectives

In this study, we aim to provide insight into the socio-demographic, family-related and socio-economic determinants of sleep problems in European older adults.

Methods

Data from the Survey of Health Ageing and Retirement in Europe (2011/2012) were used to perform multilevel logistic regression analyses on whether one has been bothered by sleep problems for at least 6 months. The final sample consisted of 54,722 respondents aged 50 and older from 16 countries.

Results

Prevalence rates varied from 16.6 % in Denmark and Italy to 31.2 % in Poland. The odds ratio of 2.014 confirmed a higher likelihood of sleep problems in women. People aged 60–69 (OR 0.898) reported less sleep problems than people between 50 and 59 years old. Finally, marriage compared to divorce and widowhood and having a higher socio-economic status were associated with less sleep problems.

Conclusions

This study confirms sleep problems to be quite prevalent in the European older population. Increased awareness of the importance of sleep for health is needed, as well as further cross-national comparative research to explain the existing cross-country variation in sleep problems.

Keywords

Sleep problems Older adults Cross-national SHARE

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Authors and Affiliations

Vera van de Straat
- 1
Email author
Piet Bracke
- 1

1.HeDeRa (Health and Demographic Research), Department of SociologyGhent UniversityGhentBelgium

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Cite this article as:: van de Straat, V. & Bracke, P. Int J Public Health (2015) 60: 643. doi:10.1007/s00038-015-0682-y

How well does Europe sleep? A cross-national study of sleep problems in European older adults

Abstract

Objectives

Methods

Results

Conclusions

Keywords

Copyright information

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