CHRONIC ILLNESS AND SUBJECTIVE QUALITY OF SLEEP IN THE ELDERLY

The effect of chronic illness on the subjective quality of sleep, and the use of hypnotics was studied in a stratified random sample of elde rly people. Six hundred subjects aged 65 years or over were included i n the study. A structured interview on the quality of sleep and medica l history was carried out. In addition, the majority of diagnoses were confirmed from the national health insurance documents of the subject s. Logistic regression analysis disclosed that only perceived poor hea lth and peptic ulcer or esophagitis were associated with perceived poo r sleep. Age did not contribute to the quality of sleep. Age over 80 y ears and the presence of peptic ulcer or esophagitis, heart failure, c holelithiasis, and, in particular, depression were associated with the habitual use of hypnotics. The results stress the importance of perce ived poor general health status, and acid-related gastrointestinal dis eases as the determinants of subjective poor sleep, rather than age or many specific somatic diseases as such. On the other hand, depression is a major determinant for the habitual use of hypnotics.