Age-related differences in sleep quality among community-dwelling elderly: Evidence from a Shanghai cross-sectional study

This cross-sectional study investigated sleep quality differences between young-old (65-79 years) and old-old (80+ years) elderly individuals in Shanghai. Among 832 participants, 30.2 % exhibited sleep disorders (PSQI > 5), with the old-old group showing significantly poorer sleep quality (higher PSQI scores and incidence of sleep disorders, both P < 0.001). Key differences between the groups included sleep latency (P < 0.001), sleep efficiency (P = 0.011), medication use (P = 0.012), and daytime dysfunction (P < 0.001). Comorbidity count was negatively correlated with sleep quality in both groups (P < 0.001). For the young-old group, higher Instrumental Activities of Daily Living (IADL) scores were linked to worse sleep (OR = 1.049, 95 %CI: 1.008-1.092), while in the old-old group, lower educational attainment was associated with poorer sleep (OR = 0.688, 95 %CI: 0.483-0.981). These findings suggest that sleep characteristics and determinants vary by age group, highlighting the need for tailored health interventions, especially for less educated old-old individuals.