title: How well does Europe sleep? A cross-national study of sleep problems in European older adults.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  In this study, we aim to provide insight into the socio-demographic, family-related and socio-economic determinants of sleep problems in European older adults.
  
  
  METHODS
  Data from the Survey of Health Ageing and Retirement in Europe (2011/2012) were used to perform multilevel logistic regression analyses on whether one has been bothered by sleep problems for at least 6 months. The final sample consisted of 54,722 respondents aged 50 and older from 16 countries.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Prevalence rates varied from 16.6% in Denmark and Italy to 31.2% in Poland. The odds ratio of 2.014 confirmed a higher likelihood of sleep problems in women. People aged 60-69 (OR 0.898) reported less sleep problems than people between 50 and 59 years old. Finally, marriage compared to divorce and widowhood and having a higher socio-economic status were associated with less sleep problems.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This study confirms sleep problems to be quite prevalent in the European older population. Increased awareness of the importance of sleep for health is needed, as well as further cross-national comparative research to explain the existing cross-country variation in sleep problems.
authors.affiliation: HeDeRa (Health and Demographic Research), Department of Sociology, Ghent University, Korte Meer 5, 9000, Ghent, Belgium, Vera.vandeStraat@UGent.be.
authors.forename: Vera
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: van de Straat
authors.forename: Piet
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Bracke
mesh_terms: D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D005060:Europe / Q000453:epidemiology; D005191:Family Characteristics; D005260:Female; D006306:Health Surveys; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015995:Prevalence; D012737:Sex Factors; D020178:Sleep Disorders, Circadian Rhythm / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000523:psychology; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors