Korean J Adult Nurs.  2011 Aug;23(4):332-339.

Depression, Somatoform Disorders, and Quality of Life between Poor Sleepers and Good Sleepers in Community-Dwelling Older Adults

• Shin KR
• Kang Y
• Park HJ
• Kim KH
• Jin LH

Abstract

PURPOSE
The purpose of this study was to compare depression, somatoform disorders, and quality of life among older adults.
METHODS
Samples of 280 community-dwelling Korean older adults were included. The age range of the participants was 60 to 90 years (average 72.6+/-6.4). The participants were assigned to one of two groups based on reported scores on the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index from September 2006 to March 2007. The two groups were designated as "poor sleepers"and "good sleepers". A T-test was used to compare depression, somatoform disorders and quality of life between the two groups.
RESULTS
Forty-six percent of participants reported scores that indicated they were poor sleepers. Poor sleepers reported significantly higher depression scores (p<.001), higher somatoform disorders scores (p<.001), lower for each SF-36 quality of life dimension, and lower mental and physical health summary scores (p<.001) than the reported scores of those participants who were classified as good sleepers.
CONCLUSION
Older adults with poor sleep patterns are more likely to report higher depression, more somatoform disorders and a lower quality of life. Additional research is needed to identify the appropriate nursing interventions aimed at improving sleep quality, depression symptoms, somatoform disorders and the quality of life.

MeSH Terms

Adult
Depression
Humans
Quality of Life
Somatoform Disorders