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Gender Differences in Self-Perceptions About Aging and Sleep Among Elderly Chinese Residents in Taiwan

Background: Previous research has revealed the existence of gender differences in sleep patterns among older adults from various ethnic groups. Data on how gender affects the sleep patterns of Taiwanese are limited. Purpose: The purposes of the current study were to (a) describe perceptions about aging and the influence of these perceptions on sleep in elderly men and women, respectively, and (b) determine whether there are gender differences in perceptions and appraisal of sleep. Methods: A mixed method design was used. In-depth interview data from 23 men and 27 women were integrated with data from the Chinese version of the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (CPSQI). Results: The mean CPSQI score for the entire sample was 6.1 ± 3.5 (men: 4.8 ± 1.6, women: 7.1 ± 4.3). Participants who held negative attitudes about aging were more likely to report poor sleep quality, short sleep duration, and difficulty in falling asleep than those who did not hold negative attitudes. Women had more negative perceptions about aging (e.g., feelings of powerlessness) and more sleep complaints than men. Furthermore, women reported significantly poorer sleep quality (p = .02) and lower sleep efficiency (p = .03) on the CPSQI than men. Conclusions/Implications for Practice: Negative perceptions about aging are associated with reports of poor sleep quality. There are gendered differences in perceptions about aging and appraisals of sleep. As the process of aging and patterns of sleep change over time, longitudinal research designs are recommended for future studies.