A descriptive study to assess the quality of sleep among elderly at selected old age home.

Abstract

Introduction: Sleep is essential for physical health, cognitive functioning, and psychological well-being. Sleep disturbances are common among older adults because of age-related physiological changes, chronic illnesses, medication use, psychological problems, and environmental factors. Objective: To assess the quality of sleep among elderly residents of a selected old age home and determine its association with selected demographic variables. Methods: A quantitative descriptive research design was adopted. The study was conducted among 100 elderly residents aged 60 years and above at Thanal Old Age Home, Chennai. Participants were selected using a non-probability purposive sampling technique. Demographic data were collected using a structured questionnaire, and sleep quality was assessed using the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI). Descriptive statistics, including frequency, percentage, mean, and standard deviation, were used for analysis. The Chi-square test was applied to determine the association between sleep quality and selected demographic variables. Results: Of the 100 participants, 69% experienced sleep disturbances and 31% had poor sleep quality; none reported good sleep quality. The mean PSQI score was 11.96 ± 2.97, with a median of 12. The use of sleep medication was significantly associated with sleep quality (χ² = 18.059, p = 0.0001), and psychological problems were also significantly associated with sleep quality (χ² = 11.913, p = 0.003). Other selected demographic variables did not show a statistically significant association. Conclusion: The findings emphasize the importance of regular sleep assessment, identification of psychological problems, review of sleep medication use, and implementation of appropriate non-pharmacological sleep-promoting interventions.