New insights on sleep problems in older adults with chronic diseases

In a study of 120 older adults in southern Taiwan who had chronic diseases, 45.8% of participants experienced sleep problems.

The study, which is published in the Journal of Clinical Nursing, also found that individuals who were living with a partner and those who needed to get up at night to urinate were more likely to report sleep disturbances. In addition, people who had trouble sleeping tended to have greater levels of depression and higher levels of physical pain.

"Our results may enhance the ability of healthcare providers to understand the factors associated with sleep disturbances in older adults with chronic diseases, which could lead to early recognition and resolution of these issues in this population, said lead author Li -Yun Lee, MS, RN, of Da-Yeh University.