%0 Journal Article
%T How well does Europe sleep? A cross-national study of sleep problems in European older adults
%J International journal of public health
%D 2015
%A van de Straat, Vera
%A Bracke, Piet
%V 60
%N 6
%P 643-650
%X OBJECTIVES: In this study, we aim to provide insight into the socio-demographic, family-related and socio-economic determinants of sleep problems in European older adults. <br><br>METHODS: Data from the Survey of Health Ageing and Retirement in Europe (2011/2012) were used to perform multilevel logistic regression analyses on whether one has been bothered by sleep problems for at least 6 months. The final sample consisted of 54,722 respondents aged 50 and older from 16 countries. <br><br>RESULTS: Prevalence rates varied from 16.6 % in Denmark and Italy to 31.2 % in Poland. The odds ratio of 2.014 confirmed a higher likelihood of sleep problems in women. People aged 60-69 (OR 0.898) reported less sleep problems than people between 50 and 59 years old. Finally, marriage compared to divorce and widowhood and having a higher socio-economic status were associated with less sleep problems. <br><br>CONCLUSIONS: This study confirms sleep problems to be quite prevalent in the European older population. Increased awareness of the importance of sleep for health is needed, as well as further cross-national comparative research to explain the existing cross-country variation in sleep problems.<p /> <p>Language: en</p>
%G en
%I Holtzbrinck Springer Nature Publishing Group
%@ 1661-8556
%U http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s00038-015-0682-y