Objective: This cross-sectional study investigated the prevalence of disturbed sleep and the association of disturbed sleep with medical conditions and service use among older adults.

Methods: A sample of 6961 household residents aged 60 and over was recruited from a population-based random sample. Each subject was examined in a face-to-face interview.

Results: The overall prevalence of disturbed sleep was 33.7%, with the condition being more prevalent in women (37.2%) than in men (27.4%). The overall rate of medical consultations was 78%, and higher in those with sleep disturbance (males 73% vs 27%; females 80% vs 20%) compared to persons without disturbed sleep. The overall rate of hospitalizations was 20.2%. In logistic regression analyses, being female, of low income, low education, younger age, with psychiatric morbidity, pneumonia, urinary infection, dermatological problems and/or hypertension were significantly associated with self-reported sleep disturbance. Ethnicity, civil status or outpatient visits in the previous six months and hospitalizations in the previous year were not associated with self-reported sleep disturbance.

Conclusion: Self-reported sleep disturbance was a frequent problem in the study population and was associated with gender, income, education, lower age and medical conditions. There was no association between sleep problems and use of medical services in the surveyed population.