Sleepiness and sleep in elderly subjects with hearing complaints

The aim of this study was to evaluate the relation of hearing complaints to daytime sleepiness and sleep in a group of elderly men and women. A questionnaire survey was undertaken among 10,216 elderly subjects in northern Sweden. The mean (+/- S.D.) ages of the men and women were 73.0 +/- 6.0 and 72.6 +/- 6.7 years, respectively. Poor hearing was reported by 43.1% of the men and 22.8% of the women. The relative numbers with hearing complaints increased with age. Daytime sleepiness (DS) was reported by 32.9% of the men and 23.2% of the women. In a multiple logistic regression analysis significant independent correlates of daytime sleepiness in men were: hearing, good versus poor (odds ratio [OR] 1.5; confidence interval [CI] 1.2-1.8), health, good versus poor (3.3; 2.6-4.4), sleep, good versus poor (2.1; 1.6-2.8) and age, > or =80 years versus < 70 years (1.5; 1.1-2.1). The corresponding correlates in women were: hearing (1.4; 1.1-1.8), health (4.3; 3.4-5.4), sleep (2.2; 1.6-2.8) and age (1.6; 1.3-2.2). Thus, poor hearing was associated with increased daytime sleepiness independently of health, sleep status and age. Also subjects with hearing complaints more often slept poorly, woke up more often and had more difficulty in falling asleep after waking.