ECONOMIC HARDSHIP AND INSOMNIA IN OLDER ADULTS: DATA FROM THE NATIONAL HEALTH AND AGING TRENDS STUDY

• Published in: Innovation in aging 2017-07, Vol.1 (suppl_1), p.1173-1174
• Main Authors: Anderson, L., Parisi, J.M., Spira, A.P.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Abstracts
• ISSN: 2399-5300; 2399-5300
• DOI: 10.1093/geroni/igx004.4277

Older adults are at increased risk for insomnia symptoms as they age and are at increased risk for poorer health. They may also be at increased risk for economic hardship. Previous studies have shown that both economic hardship and insomnia are associated with poor health outcomes; however few studies have examined these relationships in older adults. Sleep may be one of the mechanisms through which economic hardship exerts negative effects on health in aging populations. Using data collected from 7,075 survey respondents in 2012 of the National Health and Aging Trends Study, we examined the association between economic hardship and insomnia in a nationally representative sample of Medicare beneficiaries aged 65 and older. Logistic regression models were developed to predict the association between economic hardship and insomnia in older adults. Results indicated higher levels of economic hardship were associated with a greater odds of insomnia, after adjusting for race, age, gender, and education (Model 1) (OR=2.62, 95% CI: 1.81,3.79), plus number of health conditions (Model 2) (OR=2.24, 95% CI: 1.52,3.30), plus anxiety and depression (Model 3) (OR= 2.14, 95% CI: 1.44, 3.18), (p < 0.001 for all three models). These findings indicate that after accounting for potential confounders, those with higher levels of economic hardship were twice as likely to have insomnia as those without economic hardship. By reducing economic hardship in older adults, insomnia symptoms may decrease, and hence improve the overall health of older adults.