Abstract
OBJECTIVE: To systematically evaluate the prevalence characteristics of sleep disorders among older adults residents in Chinese nursing homes and the differences among various subpopulations, providing evidence for promoting healthy aging. METHODS: Search formulas were developed to systematically retrieve literature from the CNKI, VIP, Wan fang Data, CBM, PubMed, Web of Science, and Cochrane Library databases. Cross-sectional studies published from the inception of each database until May 2025 on the incidence of sleep disorders among older adults individuals in Chinese nursing homes were collected. Meta-analysis was performed using Stata 15.1 and R language (version 4.3.2). RESULTS: A total of 35 articles were finally included, involving 15,996 older adults individuals residing in nursing homes. Meta-analysis revealed a pooled detection rate of sleep disorders of 43% (95% CI: 38-48%) among this population. Temporal trend analysis indicated significant fluctuations in the incidence of sleep disorders from 2008 to 2024, coupled with an overall downward trend. Subgroup analyses revealed statistically significant differences (p < 0.05) based on geographic region, sample size, gender, and the sleep disorder assessment tool used. CONCLUSION: The detection rate of sleep disorders among older adults residents in Chinese nursing homes is relatively high, with marked disparities across different groups. Significant attention should be directed toward the sleep health of this population. Comprehensive preventive and intervention measures tailored to the characteristics of different subpopulations should be developed and implemented to effectively improve sleep quality and reduce the risk of sleep disorders. SYSTEMATIC REVIEW REGISTRATION: https://crd.york.ac.uk/prospero/, identifier (CRD420251056822).