@article {10531, title = {Physical Activity and Insomnia Symptoms Over 10 Years in a U.S. National Sample of Late-Middle-Age and Older Adults: Age Matters}, journal = {Journal of Aging and Physical Activity}, year = {2020}, abstract = {Research suggests that physical activity may influence sleep, yet more research is needed before it can be considered a frontline treatment for insomnia. Less is known about how this relationship is moderated by age. Using multilevel modeling, we examined self-reported physical activity and insomnia symptoms in 18,078 respondents from the U.S. nationally representative Health and Retirement Study (2004{\textendash}2014). The mean baseline age was 64.7 years, with 53.9\% female. Individuals who reported more physical activity (B = -0.005, p < .001) had fewer insomnia symptoms. Over 10 years, the respondents reported fewer insomnia symptoms at times when they reported more physical activity than was average for them (B = -0.003, p < .001). Age moderated this relationship (B = 0.0002, p < .01). Although modest, these findings concur with the literature, suggesting moderate benefits of physical activity for sleep in older adults. Future research should aim to further elucidate this relationship among adults at advanced ages.}, keywords = {insomnia}, doi = {https://doi.org/10.1123/japa.2018-0337}, author = {Amanda Sonnega and Amanda N Leggett and Renee Pepin and Shervin Assari} } @article {9250, title = {Depressive symptoms in recipients of home- and community-based services in the United States: Are older adults receiving the care they need?}, journal = {American Journal of Geriatric Psychiatry}, volume = {25}, year = {2017}, pages = {1351-1360}, abstract = {

OBJECTIVE: To understand unmet depression needs of older adults, the current study investigates depressive symptoms, psychiatric treatment, and home- and community-based service (HCBS) use in a nationally representative sample of older adults in the United States.

METHODS: Participants included 5,582 adults aged 60 and over from the 2010-2012 waves of the nationally representative Health and Retirement Study. Weighted bivariate analyses were used to examine the frequency of depressive symptoms (Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale) and psychiatric treatment among HCBS recipients compared with non-HCBS recipients. Weighted logistic regression models were used to evaluate the effect of depressive symptoms on HCBS use.

RESULTS: HCBS recipients had a higher frequency of depressive symptoms compared with nonrecipients (27.5\% versus 10.4\%, respectively). In particular, transportation service recipients had the highest frequency of depressive symptoms (37.5\%). HCBS recipients with depressive symptoms were no more likely than nonrecipients to receive psychiatric services. Depressive symptoms were associated with HCBS use, above and beyond sociodemographic and health risk factors.

CONCLUSION: Depressive symptoms are more frequent among HCBS recipients compared with nonrecipients; however, depressed HCBS recipients are no more likely to receive psychiatric services, suggesting unmet depression needs. HCBS may be a key setting for depression detection and delivery of mental health interventions.

}, keywords = {Caregiving, Community-based services, Depressive symptoms}, issn = {1545-7214}, doi = {10.1016/j.jagp.2017.05.021}, author = {Renee Pepin and Amanda N Leggett and Amanda Sonnega and Shervin Assari} } @article {6506, title = {Predictors of New Onset Sleep Medication and Treatment Utilization Among Older Adults in the United States}, journal = {The Journals of Gerontology Series A: Biological Sciences and Medical Sciences}, volume = {71}, year = {2016}, pages = {954-960}, chapter = {954}, abstract = {Background. Sleep disturbances are common among older adults resulting in frequent sleep medication utilization, though these drugs are associated with a number of risks. We examine rates and predictors of new prescription sleep medications and sleep treatments, as well as sleep treatments without a doctor s recommendation.Methods. Participants were 8,417 adults aged 50 and older from two waves of the nationally representative Health and Retirement Study (HRS) who were not using a sleep medication or treatment at baseline (2006). Logistic regression analyses are run with sociodemographic, health, and mental health factors as predictors of three outcomes: new prescription medication use, sleep treatment use, and sleep treatment out of a doctor s recommendation in 2010.Results. New sleep medication prescriptions were started by 7.68 , 12.62 started using a new sleep treatment, and 31.93 were using the treatment outside of their doctor s recommendation. Common predictors included greater severity of insomnia, worsening insomnia, older age, and use of psychiatric medications. New prescription medication use was also associated with poorer mental and physical health, whereas new sleep treatment was associated with being White, higher educated, and drinking less alcohol.Conclusions. Starting a new prescription sleep medication may reflect poorer health and higher health care utilization, whereas beginning a sleep treatment may reflect an individual s awareness of treatments and determination to treat their problem. Clinicians should be aware of predictors of new sleep medication and treatment users and discuss various forms of treatment or behavioral changes to help patients best manage sleep disturbance.}, keywords = {Health Conditions and Status}, doi = {10.1093/gerona/glv227}, url = {http://biomedgerontology.oxfordjournals.org/content/early/2016/01/10/gerona.glv227.abstract}, author = {Amanda N Leggett and Renee Pepin and Amanda Sonnega and Shervin Assari} }