Sleep correlates of depression and anxiety in an elderly Asian population

• Published in: Psychogeriatrics Vol. 16; no. 3; pp. 191 - 195
• Main Authors: Yu, Junhong, Rawtaer, Iris, Fam, Johnson, Jiang, Min-Jun, Feng, Lei, Kua, Ee Heok, Mahendran, Rathi
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: England Blackwell Publishing Ltd 01.05.2016
• Subjects: Adult; Aged; Aged, 80 and over; Anxiety; Anxiety - diagnosis; Anxiety - epidemiology; Anxiety - psychology; Asia; Asian Continental Ancestry Group - psychology; Asian Continental Ancestry Group - statistics & numerical data; Cohort Studies; Cross-Sectional Studies; depression; Depression - epidemiology; Depression - psychology; Depressive Disorder - diagnosis; Depressive Disorder - epidemiology; Depressive Disorder - psychology; elderly population; Female; Geriatric Assessment - methods; Geriatric psychology; Health Surveys; Humans; Insomnia; Male; Mental depression; Prevalence; Psychiatric Status Rating Scales; Quality; Self Report; Sleep; Sleep - physiology; sleep problems; Sleep Wake Disorders - diagnosis; Sleep Wake Disorders - epidemiology; Sleep Wake Disorders - psychology; elderly population; anxiety; sleep problems; depression; Asia
• ISSN: 1346-3500; 1479-8301
• DOI: 10.1111/psyg.12138

Background Research looking at the association between sleep and psychiatric symptoms in elderly Asian populations is lacking. The present study examines the sleep correlates of depression and anxiety in a sample of cognitively healthy older adults. Methods The Geriatric Depression Scale, Geriatric Anxiety Inventory, and the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index were administered to a community sample of elderly participants (n = 107; 81 women; Mage = 71.3 years, SD = 5.7) Results Geriatric Depression Scale and Geriatric Anxiety Inventory scores are both significantly correlated with sleep disturbance. Geriatric Depression Scale scores are uniquely associated with daytime dysfunction, and Geriatric Anxiety Inventory scores are uniquely associated with perceived sleep quality, sleep latency, and global Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index scores. Conclusions Depression and anxiety in a cohort of elderly Asian subjects are associated with a number of sleep‐related issues; both are related to a somewhat different profile of sleep problems.