OBJECTIVE: To identify the sleep/rest needs of an elderly population cared for by the Family Health Strategy, based on Virginia Henderson's theoretical framework. METHOD: This descriptive, quantitative study was conducted from May to June, 2011 through the application of a questionnaire to 52 seniors living in an area covered by a Primary Health Care (PHC) unit in Fortaleza, CE, Brazil. The data were analyzed using statistical software. RESULTS: the sleep disorders most frequently reported by the seniors were: sleeping less than four hours a night (84.6%), daytime sleepiness (71.2%), nighttime awakenings (71.2%), and the use of sleep medications (21.2%). Association was significant in relation to the variables: age (p=0.05), morbidities (p=0.02), smoking (p=0.01), and pain when moving (p=0.05). CONCLUSION: The sleep/rest needs of seniors were significantly associated with socio-economic factors and health conditions.
Aged; Sleep; Needs Assessment
