Self-reported arthritis-related disruptions in sleep and daily life and the use of medical, complementary, and self-care strategies for arthritis: the National Survey of Self-care and Aging.
OBJECTIVE
To assess relations between self-reported arthritis-related disruptions in sleep, physical activity, and social functioning and use of medical care, complementary therapies, and self-care for arthritis in older adults.


METHODS
A survey of self-reported arthritis-related disruptions in sleep and daily life as risk factors for use of 15 medical, complementary, and self-care modalities for relief of arthritis symptoms.


METHODS
General community from 38 urban and 12 rural areas in the contiguous United States.


METHODS
Nine hundred thirty-seven older persons reporting arthritis; of the 1925 in the 1993 to 1994 follow-up of the National Survey of Self-care and Aging, a population-based, stratified, random sample of noninstitutionalized Medicare beneficiaries aged 65 years and older.


METHODS
Use of 15 medical, self-care, and complementary modalities for relief of arthritis symptoms.


RESULTS
Most respondents reported use of at least 1 medical, complementary, or self-care strategy for arthritis. Arthritis was reported to disrupt sleep and leisure in 32.8% and 33.4% of respondents, respectively. Individuals with sleep disruption were more likely than those without sleep disturbance to use medical, complementary, and self-care strategies (adjusted odds ratio [95% confidence interval], 2.31 [1.59-3.37] for seeing a physician; and 2.23 [1.60-3.10] for using physical modalities). Reported disruption in sleep from arthritis was associated with use of more medical, complementary, and self-care strategies than was any other disruption.


CONCLUSIONS
Self-reported arthritis-related disruption in sleep is associated with use of a wide range of medical, complementary, and self-care strategies. Physicians, other health care providers, and researchers should not overlook the importance of this common and often-neglected symptom.
Jordan
J M
JM
Department of Medicine, the Thurston Arthritis Research Center, The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, 27599-7330, USA.
Bernard
S L
SL
Callahan
L F
LF
Kincade
J E
JE
Konrad
T R
TR
DeFriese
G H
GH
D000203:Activities of Daily Living; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001168:Arthritis / Q000150:complications* / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000628:therapy*; D000529:Complementary Therapies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D012648:Self Care; D012893:Sleep Wake Disorders / Q000209:etiology*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014481:United States