Rural/Urban Differences in Sleep Disorders Among Older Adults in Ghana
Abstract Sleep plays a significant role in the maintenance of the body, and experiences of sleep disorders may have adverse health outcomes on older adults. While a substantial number of studies have documented rural and urban differences in sleep quality and duration, none has examined rural/urban differences in sleep disorders among older adults in Ghana. The analytical sample included 2,142 older adults (65 years and above) who are part of the cross-national study of the Research on Early Life and Aging Trends and Effects (RELATE) conducted in Ghana in 2007 (µage = 74, female 54%). The analysis was based on multivariate logistic regression in predicting the odds of experiencing sleep difficulty among older adults and how this may differ based on rural/urban residence. Results reveal that net of other factors, older adults in rural Ghana are more likely to experience sleep disorders than their urban counterparts (OR=1.29, P<.05). Possession of Jewelry in Africa is a symbol of higher social status, the result shows that net of other factors, those who own jewelry are more likely to experience sleep disorder than those who do not possess jewelry (OR=1.69, P<.001), those who are obese show greater odds of sleep disorder than those with normal weight (OR=1.59, P<.01). Other significant differences were education, self-rated health, and feeling of happiness. These findings show that causal factors of sleep disorder among older adults are multifactorial and their underlying mechanisms may vary by geography(rural/urban)