OBJECTIVETo investigate the current status and association between movement disorders, constipation and sleep disturbances in the elderly population of China.

METHODSA total of 42 353 subjects aged over 60 years old from Chinese Chronic Non-communicable Disease & Risk Factor Surveillance (2010) was selected in our study. The information on movement disorders, constipation and sleep disturbances was collected by standardized questionnaire interview. The prevalence and association of self-reported movement disorders, constipation and sleep disturbances was measured according to different gender, age groups and regions.

RESULTSThe study was conducted among 42 353 old adults, including 21 893 males (51.7%) and 20 460 females (48.3%); 17 917 from urban areas (42.3%) and 24 436 from rural areas (57.7%); and the proportion of elderly from eastern, central and western regions were 37.9% (16 031 subjects), 29.1% (12 345 subjects) and 33.0% (13 977 subjects) respectively. After weighted complex analysis, the data showed that among the elderly population over 60 years old in China, the self-reported rates of movement disorders, constipation and sleep disturbances were all age-related, rising up with the age increasing. The rates of 60-64 age group were 2.8% (95%CI:1.9%-3.7%), 3.6% (95%CI:3.1%-4.1%) and 12.4% (95%CI:11.0%-13.8%);and in ≥ 80 age group, the rates were 13.2% (95%CI:10.2%-16.1%), 8.8% (95%CI:7.1%-10.6%) and 19.1% (95%CI:16.3%-21.9%). The self-reported rate of movement disorders was 5.7% (95%CI: 4.5%-7.0%); the prevalence of constipation was 5.1% (95%CI: 4.4%-5.7%), which was higher among women (5.8%, 95%CI: 5.0%-6.6%) than it among men (4.3%, 95%CI: 3.7%-4.8%) (χ(2) = 23.40, P < 0.05), and higher among subjects from urban areas (6.0%, 95%CI: 5.1%-7.0%) than from rural areas (4.6%, 95%CI: 3.8%-5.4%) (χ(2) = 5.62, P < 0.05); the prevalence of self-reported sleep disturbances was 14.2% (95%CI: 12.7%-15.8%), higher in women (17.4%, 95%CI: 15.4%-19.3%) than in men (11.0%, 95%CI: 9.7%-12.2%) (χ(2) = 172.05, P < 0.05); the prevalence of movement disorders in people with constipation (16.3%, 95%CI: 12.7%-19.9%) was much higher than it in people without constipation (5.2%, 95%CI: 4.0%-6.3%) (χ(2) = 242.73, P < 0.05); and the prevalence of movement disorders in people with sleep disturbances (13.0%, 95%CI: 10.6%-15.4%) was much higher than it in people without sleep disturbances (4.5%, 95%CI: 3.5%-5.5%) (χ(2) = 688.80, P < 0.05).Logistic regression analysis showed that constipation and sleep disturbances would increase the risk of movement disorders, with the OR (95%CI) at 2.93 (2.57-3.33) and 2.73 (2.48-3.02), respectively.

CONCLUSIONThe present study showed that self-reported rates of movement disorders, constipation and sleep disturbances all rose up with age increasing in the elderly. The movement disorders was associated with constipation and sleep disturbances.