ANALYSIS OF THE CORRELATION BETWEEN SLEEP QUALITY AND LONELINESS LEVELS IN GERIATRIC INDIVIDUALS

Introduction: This study aims to investigate the correlation between sleep quality and loneliness levels in the geriatric population. Materials and Method: A cross-sectional study was conducted with individuals aged 65 and older (N = 89) registered at a community health centre in Turkey. Participants completed a Descriptive Characteristics Form, the Loneliness Scale (UCLA-LS), the Standardized Mini Mental State Examination, and the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI). Results: The mean scores for loneliness and sleep quality were 46.09 ± 9.15 and 7.47 ± 3.12, respectively. A moderate positive correlation was found between loneliness scores and the components of Subjective Sleep Quality, Sleep Latency, Sleep Disturbance, Sleep Medication Use, and total PSQI (p<0.05). Conclusion: The study revealed that geriatric individuals experienced moderate levels of loneliness and reported poor sleep quality. It was also found that the more loneliness they felt, the worse their sleep quality. Keywords: Aged; Sleep; Loneliness.