Poor sleep is a serious health issue for older adults who have experienced homelessness.
In a Journal of General Internal Medicine paper, UCSF BHHI researchers found that poor sleep was common among older adults in the HOPE HOME study, a long-term study of adults aged 50 and older in Oakland who were homeless at enrollment.
Key findings include:
67% of participants reported poor sleep at their first sleep interview.
Participants had the most trouble with sleep duration.
Poor sleep was linked with fair or poor physical health, multiple chronic health conditions, difficulty with activities of daily living, depressive symptoms, trouble remembering, and loneliness.
Having at least one trusted person to confide in was linked with lower odds of poor sleep.
Current housing status was not significantly linked with poor sleep, suggesting sleep problems may continue even after people regain housing.
The findings show that sleep is an important, underrecognized part of health for older adults who have experienced homelessness. They can help health systems, housing providers, and service organizations better understand the long-term health impacts of homelessness and the supports older adults may need.
