Perceived sleep quality, coping behavior, and associations with major depression among older adults

Abstract

In older adults, we determined (1) the association of perceived sleep quality with stress-coping behaviors (drinking alcohol, smoking tobacco, medication/drug use, overeating, prayer, exercise, social support, and treatment from a health professional) and (2) whether coping behavior mediated the relationship of perceived sleep quality with depression. Data came from the US Health and Retirement Study 2008–2010 ( n = 1174). Using logistic regression, poor perceived sleep quality was associated with medication/drug use (odds ratio = 2.9; 95% confidence interval = 1.4–6.0) and overeating (odds ratio = 1.6; 95% confidence interval = 1.1–2.5). However, using structural equation modeling, coping behavior did not mediate the relationship of perceived sleep quality with depression symptomology ( p = 0.14).