Effect of a Sleep Hygiene Education Program Using Telephone Follow-up Method on the Sleep Quality of the Elderly

Objectives: Low quality sleep is one of the most common problems in old age. The present study aims to determine the effect of a sleep hygiene education program using Telephone Follow-Up (TFU) method on the sleep quality of the elderly. Methods & Materials: This quasi-experimental study was conducted on 80 eligible elderly people aged 60-74 years who were selected using a systematic random sampling method and were randomly assigned into intervention and control groups. The intervention group received a one-hour face-to-face education session on sleep hygiene. The TFU were carried out two times per week in the first month and once a week in the second month after intervention. The control group received routine care. The data collection tools were a demographic form and the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) questionnaire. The PSQI was completed for both groups immediately after the second month. Results: There was no statistically significant difference in the mean PSQI score before intervention in the intervention (8.02) and control (7.47) groups (P=0.32), but after the intervention, the mean PSQI score in the intervention group (5.42) was significantly reduced compared to the control group (7.67) (P