Sleep patterns and physical function in older adults attending primary health care.

BACKGROUND: Sleep disturbances may contribute to physical function impairment among older adults. OBJECTIVE: To examine the associations between sleep quality and duration and impaired physical function among older adults. METHODS: Cross-sectional study involving 392 non-institutionalized adults aged ≥65 years, who were recruited from primary health care centres in Spain. Sleep quality and duration were assessed with the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI). The FRAIL scale was used to identify physical frailty, the short physical performance battery to assess lower extremity functional impairment (LEFI) and grip strength was measured using a hand-held dynamometer to assess muscle weakness. Statistical analyses were performed with logistic regression models adjusted for potential confounders. RESULTS: Participants with poor sleep quality (PSQI global score ≥10) were more likely to have functional limitations; the odds ratio (95% confidence interval) was 2.90 (1.10-7.64) for physical frailty, 2.73 (1.34-5.58) for LEFI and 2.32 (1.14-4.75) for muscle weakness. Sleep quality components associated with frailty were sleep disturbances, use of sleeping medication and daytime dysfunction. The only quality component associated with LEFI was poor sleep efficiency, while subjective poor sleep quality and daytime dysfunction were linked to muscle weakness. No associations were observed between night-time sleep duration and physical function indicators. CONCLUSIONS: Poor self-reported sleep quality, but not sleep duration, was associated with an increased frequency of physical frailty, LEFI and muscle weakness. Interventions to improve sleep quality could contribute to healthy ageing.

[Social integration and gynecologic cancer screening of immigrant women in Spain]. / Integración social y cribado del cáncer ginecológico de las mujeres inmigrantes en España.

OBJECTIVE: To explore the association between immigrant status and performance of pap-smear and mammography, and to study the potential effect of social integration on that association. METHOD: Secondary analysis of the National Health Survey of Spain 2012. Individual data from 8944 women aged 18-75 were analyzed. Dependent variables were the performance of pap-smear tests and mammographies according to the guidelines of the state of residence. The level of integration in Spain was estimated through perceived social support (Duke-UNC scale) and the number of years living in Spain. Logistic regressions were used in order to obtain odds ratios (OR) and their 95% confidence intervals (95%CI), adjusted for confounders (sociodemographic and health-status). RESULTS: Compared to natives, immigrant women were more likely to not adhere to cervical cancer screening (OR: 1.31; 95%CI: 1.06-1.63) or breast cancer screening (OR:=3.13; 95%CI: 2.14-4.58). Additional adjustment by social support and length of residence in Spain attenuated the association, consequently losing statistical significance (OR: 1.08, 95%CI: .77-1.52 for pap-smear; OR: 1.62, 95%CI: .97-2.74 for mammographies). CONCLUSIONS: The probability of participating in the screening programs for gynecological cancer was lower if women were born abroad. Perceived social support and time living in Spain of immigrant women explained to a large extent the differences between immigrants and natives.