[Sleep changes in elderly patients at a general medical practice]

In order to determine the prevalence of sleeping disorders and their relationship with sociodemographic and medical variables in elderly attending to general morbidity physicians, 144 individuals from 65 years and up from 2 primary care centers in Santiago were interviewed. An structured interview which included sociodemographic data, reason of the visit, and benzodiazepine use; CIS-R, GHQ-12; BI; MMSE, and a questionnaire for physicians were applied. Mean age of the sample was 72.9 +/- 6.2 years old, most women, schooling less than 8 years, 52.1% had no partner, mean family income was U$A 112 +/- 61.8. There was a significant statistical association between sleeping and psychiatric disorders. General physicians made significantly more the diagnosis of psychiatric disorder among individuals with sleeping disorder, being also them who received significantly more benzodiazepine and antidepressive prescriptions.