Factors Affecting Sleep Quality of the Elderly
Main Article Content
Abstract
Background and Objectives: The best form of relaxation for promoting a high quality of life is high quality sleep. During sleep, the body undergoes rejuvenation and repair. Studies indicate that the elderly tend to experience continuous increases in sleep-related issues, with up to 40-50% experiencing insomnia. These problems can be attributed to various factors, including hormonal changes, insufficient income, and the use of sleeping pills. This research focused on Tha Mai District in Chanthaburi Province, where no prior studies on sleep quality have been conducted. At 9.7%, this district has the highest proportion of elderly residents compared to other districts in the province. The objectives of this study were to investigate both sleep quality and the factors that influence it within the elderly population of this district.
Methodology: This study followed a quantitative research design and included multi-stage probability sampling. The sample included 375 elderly individuals who participated in structured interviews through questionnaires between June and September 2020. The content validity of the questionnaires was evaluated using the Index of Item-Objective Congruence (IOC) with all items having an IOC value of 0.5 or higher, indicating congruence between the questions and study objectives. The reliability of the questionnaires was evaluated using Cronbach's alpha with a value higher than 0.8, indicating high reliability. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, percentages, and inferential statistics, including multiple regression analysis.
Main Results: The study found 61.1% of the elderly population studied to have good sleep quality while 39.9% reported sleep quality was poor. The stepwise multiple regression analysis identified several significant factors influencing the sleep quality of the elderly in Tha Mai District. These factors included the use of sleeping pills, alcohol consumption, income, psychological and emotional aspects (stress), along with family history of psychiatric illness. This study indicated that the R-square of sleep quality of the elderly in the district is 23.6%, with statistical significance at 0.05 level.
Discussions: The following factors were found to influence the sleep quality of the elderly with depression. First, if sufficient rest is obtained, it can help improve depression. Other factors, including the use of sleeping pills, psychological and emotional aspects (stress), and income, influence the sleep quality of the elderly. On the other hand, the least influential factors on the sleep quality of the elderly are alcohol consumption and family history of psychiatric illnesses.
Conclusions: The elderly stage of life is characterized by both role and social changes due to retirement and is accompanied by physical decline as well. Therefore, this phase requires adaptation and may involve significant challenges. One of the issues that researchers are interested in studying is quality of sleep and the factors that influence it among the elderly. This study can explain factors influencing and affecting sleep quality. In addition, this study aims to prevent problems and promote better sleep quality for the elderly in this or similar contexts in the future.
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