Publication:

Prevalence of insomnia and its association with comorbid conditions among elderly attending an urban health training centre in Nagpur, Maharashtra: a cross-sectional study

Background Insomnia is characterised by dissatisfaction with the quality or quantity of sleep, accompanied by difficulty in falling asleep or maintaining sleep which is common among elderly due to age-related physiological changes and chronic medical conditions. Despite its high prevalence insomnia is under-recognised, under-diagnosed and inadequately treated among elderly population. Therefore, this study aims to estimate the prevalence of insomnia among the elderly and to assess its associated co morbid conditions.

Methods A hospital based cross-sectional study was conducted among 251 elderly individuals (aged ≥60 years) at the Urban health training centre of a tertiary care centre in Nagpur, Maharashtra. Socio-demographic and clinical information were gathered using a pre-designed and pre-tested questionnaire. The severity of insomnia was assessed using the Insomnia Severity Index (ISI). Data analysis was performed with Jamovi version 2.3.28, employing descriptive statistics as well as Chi-square and Fisher’s exact tests.

Results The mean age of the participants was 68.9±6.29 years and the prevalence of insomnia was 59.2%. A significant association was observed between insomnia and factors such as age, family type and medical conditions like diabetes and musculoskeletal disorders, cardiovascular disease and genitourinary problems.

Conclusions More than half of the elderly individuals in the study were affected by insomnia. Several socio-demographic and co morbid conditions were associated with insomnia, underscoring the importance of early identification and routine screening for sleep disturbances in elderly. Such measures may contribute to improving their overall health and quality of life.