Yaopian Chen,1 Fu Su,2 Haixia Xiang,1 Jinhong Xia3 

1Department of Sleep Medicine, Wenzhou Seventh People’s Hospital, Wenzhou, Zhejiang Province, 302003, People’s Republic of China; 2Psychology Major, Clark University, Worcester, MA, 01610, USA; 3Department of Nursing, Wenzhou Seventh People’s Hospital, Wenzhou, Zhejiang Province, 302003, People’s Republic of China

Correspondence: Yaopian Chen, Department of Sleep Medicine, Wenzhou Seventh People’s Hospital, Ouhai District, Wenzhou, Zhejiang Province, 302003, People’s Republic of China, Tel +86 13738325171, Email yaopianchencyp@126.com

Objective: To assess the sleep status and prevalence rate of the elderly in southeast coastal areas of China, and analyze related factors.
Methods: A questionnaire survey was conducted among elderly individuals in Wenzhou City, Zhejiang Province, situated in the southeast coastal areas of China, using a multi-stage random sampling method. A total of 903 elderly people aged ≥ 60 years were selected for the survey. The questionnaire aimed to assess their sleep status using PSQI and to evaluate related factors using Self-designed General Information and Health Behavior Questionnaires, SAS, GDS-15, ESS, AD8, SHAP, WHOQOL-BREF, among other tools. Logistic regression was applied to analyze the influencing factors of sleep disorders.
Results: Among the 903 elderly individuals who participated in the survey, 316 cases (35.0%) had a PSQI score > 7. Females exhibited a higher prevalence rate of poor subjective sleep quality (24.9% vs 17.6%) and difficulty falling asleep (32.8% vs 22.5%) compared to males. Drinking green tea (OR = 0.1.841, 95% CI, 1.220– 2.777, P < 0.05) had the strongest association with poor sleep. The duration of nap time ranging from 30 to 90 minutes (OR = 0.492, 95% CI= 0.340– 0.713, P < 0.001) and specifically a 90-minute nap (OR = 0.441, 95% CI = 0.234– 0.832, P < 0.05) were both significantly associated with a decreased risk of experiencing poor sleep quality.
Conclusion: The prevalence in this population is 35%. Several factors contribute to this prevalence, including tea consumption, anxiety, daytime sleepiness, cognitive decline, environmental influences, awareness of sleep health, knowledge about sleep, and detrimental habits. Specifically, the consumption of green tea negatively impacts sleep quality, while taking naps longer than 30 minutes is associated with a reduced risk of poor sleep. These findings can inform the development of targeted preventive strategies and interventions aimed at mitigating sleep disorders in the elderly population.

Keywords: elderly, sleep disorders, related factors, Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index, cross-sectional study