title: Sleep quality among elderly high-altitude dwellers in Ladakh.
abstract: It has been already known that people who temporarily stay at high altitude may develop insomnia as a symptom of acute mountain sickness. However, much less is known about people living at high altitude. The aim of this study was to determine the effect of high altitude environment on sleep quality for the elderly who have been living at high altitude for their whole lives. A cross-sectional study was conducted in Domkhar valley at altitudes of 2800-4200m, Ladakh. Sleep quality was assessed using Insomnia Severity Index (ISI). Measurement items include body mass index, blood pressure, blood sugar, hemoglobin, timed Up and Go test, oxygen saturation during wakefulness, respiratory function test, Oxford Knee Score (OKS), and Geriatric Depression Scale (GDS), and so on. The participants were Ladakhi older adults aged 60 years or over (n=112) in Domkhar valley. The participation rate was 65.1% (male: female=47:65, mean age: 71.3 years and 67.9 years, respectively). The prevalence of the high score of ISI (8 or more) was 15.2% (17 out of 112). Altitude of residence was significantly correlated with ISI. Stepwise multiple regression analysis showed that OKS and altitude of residence were significantly related with ISI.
authors.affiliation: Center for Southeast Asian Studies, Kyoto University, Kyoto, Japan; Research Institute for Humanity and Nature, Kyoto, Japan. Electronic address: sakamoto65@cseas.kyoto-u.ac.jp.
authors.forename: Ryota
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Sakamoto
authors.affiliation: Center for Southeast Asian Studies, Kyoto University, Kyoto, Japan; Research Institute for Humanity and Nature, Kyoto, Japan.
authors.forename: Kiyohito
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Okumiya
authors.affiliation: Ladakh Institute of Prevention, Leh, India.
authors.forename: Tsering
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Norboo
authors.affiliation: Ladakh Institute of Prevention, Leh, India.
authors.forename: Norboo
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Tsering
authors.affiliation: National Institute for Agro-Environmental Sciences, Ibaraki, Japan.
authors.forename: Takayoshi
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Yamaguchi
authors.affiliation: Center for Southeast Asian Studies, Kyoto University, Kyoto, Japan.
authors.forename: Mitsuhiro
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Nose
authors.affiliation: Graduate School of Asian and African Area Studies, Kyoto University, Kyoto, Japan.
authors.forename: Shinya
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Takeda
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Education and Regional Studies, University of Fukui, Fukui, Japan.
authors.forename: Toshihiro
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Tsukihara
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, Medical Center East, Tokyo Women's Medical University, Tokyo, Japan.
authors.forename: Motonao
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ishikawa
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, Medical Center East, Tokyo Women's Medical University, Tokyo, Japan.
authors.forename: Shun
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Nakajima
authors.affiliation: Center for Southeast Asian Studies, Kyoto University, Kyoto, Japan.
authors.forename: Taizo
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Wada
authors.affiliation: Center for Southeast Asian Studies, Kyoto University, Kyoto, Japan.
authors.forename: Michiko
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Fujisawa
authors.affiliation: Department of Field Medicine, School of Public Health, Kyoto University, Kyoto, Japan.
authors.forename: Hissei
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Imai
authors.affiliation: Center for Southeast Asian Studies, Kyoto University, Kyoto, Japan.
authors.forename: Yasuko
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Ishimoto
authors.affiliation: Center for Southeast Asian Studies, Kyoto University, Kyoto, Japan.
authors.forename: Yumi
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Kimura
authors.affiliation: Department of Field Medicine, School of Public Health, Kyoto University, Kyoto, Japan.
authors.forename: Eriko
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Fukutomi
authors.affiliation: Department of Field Medicine, School of Public Health, Kyoto University, Kyoto, Japan.
authors.forename: Wenling
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, Medical Center East, Tokyo Women's Medical University, Tokyo, Japan.
authors.forename: Kuniaki
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Otsuka
authors.affiliation: Center for Southeast Asian Studies, Kyoto University, Kyoto, Japan; Department of Field Medicine, School of Public Health, Kyoto University, Kyoto, Japan.
authors.forename: Kozo
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Matsubayashi
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000531:Altitude; D000532:Altitude Sickness / Q000150:complications / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000503:physiopathology*; D001794:Blood Pressure; D015992:Body Mass Index; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006454:Hemoglobins; D006801:Humans; D007194:India / Q000453:epidemiology; D008297:Male; D015995:Prevalence; D012890:Sleep / Q000502:physiology*; D007319:Sleep Initiation and Maintenance Disorders / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology / Q000503:physiopathology*
chemical_list: D006454:Hemoglobins
keywords: High altitude; Knee arthritis; Sleep quality