Epidemiology of sleep disorders in the elderly – A questionnaire survey

A questionnaire based survey was conducted to determine the prevalence of common sleep-related disorders in the elderly population of Delhi. The study population included in this analysis comprised 1240 grandparents of school-going children. The overall prevalence of SDB was 10.3%.; (9.9% in males and 10.8% in female subjects) It was found to correlate with increasing BMI (p< 0.064) The overall prevalence of snoring was found to be 41.4% (Males=41.6%, Females =41.2%). It correlated positively with body mass index (BMI) (p<0.033), age (p<0.076), and excessive daytime sleepiness (p<0.036). Habitual snoring was found to be prevalent in 27.2% of the elderly subjects and was found to correlate with BMI (p<0.03), and rising socio-economic strata (p<0.014). Approximately 41.5% of the elderly population was seen to suffer from excessive daytime sleepiness. It correlated significantly with lower socio-economic strata The overall prevalence of symptoms suggestive of restless leg syndrome was 14.3%. It was found to correlate significantly with BMI (p<0.018), and female gender (p<0.052) The overall prevalence of sleepwalking in the elderly population studied was 6.9%. It was found to correlate negatively with increasing BMI (p<0.041) and age and positively with rising socio-economic strata (p<0.076). The prevalence of nightmares in the elderly population studied was 21.7%. It was found to correlate inversely with age (p<0.019). Bruxism was observed to be present in 9.2% of the elderly population studied. It correlated significantly with rising socio-economic strata (p<0.017) and snoring (p<0.002). Approximately 8% of the entire elderly study population admitted that they consumed sleeping pills. Its use correlated with rising socio-economic strata (p<0.033) and symptoms suggestive of disorders of initiation & maintenance of sleep (DIMS) (p<0.072).