Longitudinal Health Consequences of Insomnia Symptoms among Middle-Aged and Older Adults in Thailand

Abstract

Introduction: Insomnia symptoms may impact on various health outcomes. It is unclear how insomnia symptoms impact on health in Thailand. In a longitudinal study of ageing adults in Thailand, the goal of the research was to evaluate the relationships between insomnia symptoms and 20 health indicators. Methods: Prospective cohort data from the Health, Aging and Retirement in Thailand study, which included participants 45 years of age and older (N = 2863) from three successive waves in 2015, 2017, and 2020 were analyzed. Insomnia symptoms and health indicators were assessed by self-report. Generalized Estimating Equations analysis and logistic regression analysis were used to evaluate the longitudinal relationships between measures of insomnia symptoms and 20 health indicators. Results: In 2020, 11.7% of people reported having insomnia symptoms, compared to 15.6% in 2015 and 14.6% in 2017. Insomnia symptoms were positively correlated with three poor mental health indicators (depressive symptoms, quality of life and self-rated mental health), eight poor physical health indicators (hypertension, self-rated physical health status, cardiovascular disease, diabetes, osteoporosis, chronic lung disease, kidney disease, and physical injury), and two lifestyle indicators (physical inactivity and meal skipping) in logistic regression models. Conclusion: The study found that a number of indicators of physical and mental illness as well as lifestyle choices were linked to symptoms of insomnia. Improved detection and management of insomnia symptoms could lower indicators of physical and mental illness in Thailand.