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Gender Differences in Sleep Problems among Older Adults in Six Middle-Income Countries: A Cross-sectional Study

Ritu Rani, International Institute For Population Sciences
Selvamani Yesuvadian, International Institute for Population Sciences (IIPS)
Ankit Sikarwar, Centre for Research on Social Inequalities (CRIS), SciencesPo, Paris

This study examines gender differences in sleep problems among older adults in India, China, Ghana, Mexico, Russia, and South Africa. We used data on 33,929 individuals (50+ years) from the WHO-SAGE. Bivariate and multivariate regression models were used to assess gender differences in sleep problems adjusting for socioeconomic, demographic, and health measures. Results showed significant gender differences in the prevalence of sleep problems with the largest difference in Russia followed by India. Regression results showed higher odds of sleep problems among women in India, China, Russia, and South Africa, implying a significant gender gap in sleep problems. Age, low back pain, depression, and poor self-rated health were significantly associated with sleep problems. This research provides an important gender perspective for research on sleep problems in developing countries. The findings are important given the rapid ageing of the population across the globe. Increased awareness of the importance of sleep for good health is needed, as well as further cross-national comparative research to explain cross-national variation in sleep problems.

Keywords: Cross-country comparative analyses, Gender, Older adults, Health and morbidity

See extended abstract.

  Presented in Session P21.