Social and behavioral predictors of insufficient sleep among African Americans and Caucasians

Abstract

Background Few studies have examined the social and behavioral predictors of insufficient sleep. Objective To assess the social and behavioral predictors of insufficient sleep in the U.S. population. Methods Data from the 2009 Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS) were analyzed. Telephone interviews were conducted in six representative states that completed the optional sleep module. A total of 31,059 respondents were included in the present analysis. BRFSS-provided weights were applied to analyses to adjust for the use of complex design. Results The mean age for the sample was 56 ± 16 years, with 63% of the sample being female; 88% identified as non-Hispanic white and 12% identified as non-Hispanic black; 42% were not married and 8% did not have a high school degree. The prevalence of insufficient sleep (<7 hours) was 37%. Multivariate-adjusted logistic regression revealed associations of four important factors with insufficient sleep, which were: working more than 40 hours per week [OR= 1.65, p < 0.001, 95% CI = 1.65–1.66], black race/ethnicity [OR = 137, p < 0.001,95% CI = 1.37–1.38], history of heart disease [OR = 1.26, p < 0.001,95% CI = 1.25–1.28], care-giving to family/friends [OR = 1.50, p < 0.001,95% CI = 1.49–1.51], and lack of social and emotional support [OR = 1.24, p < 0.001, 95% CI = 1. 23–1.25]. Conclusion Social and behavioral predictors of health uniquely contribute to the report of insufficient sleep and should be considered when developing programs to increase awareness of the adverse effects of insufficient sleep.

Prevalence of daytime sleeping in the working population from estimates of nocturnal work shift

“…The findings support previous work highlighting that socioeconomically vulnerable populations (e.g., Non-Hispanic-Blacks) may be at greater risk for sleep abnormalities, [17][18][19] a sub-group of individuals known to have greater environmental stressors throughout the lifecourse. [20][21][22] Sleep research should continue to study the relatively small (≈ 3.3%), but objectively large (≈ 4.3 million), understudied population of individuals who attempt to complete all their sleep during sunlight hours.…”

Do gender and racial/ethnic disparities in sleep duration emerge in early adulthood? Evidence from a longitudinal study of U.S. adults

“…Mounting evidence indicates that blacks tend to sleep less than whites [13–15]. We found that the well-documented black–white disparity in sleep duration emerges in early adulthood.…”

“…Several population-based studies of U.S. adults have reported gender and racial/ethnic disparities in sleep duration [10–12]. On average, women sleep longer than men, and individuals of black race/ethnicity are more likely to report short sleep durations compared to those of white race/ethnicity [13–15]. Moreover, sleep studies using national time use data have documented age-related changes in sleep duration across the life course [12,16,17].…”

“…Many of these social roles require substantial time commitments, which may displace time spent sleeping [12]. For example, working longer hours or multiple jobs [10,12,13,20], having young children in the home [10], or being a college student [12] all increase the risk of experiencing shorter sleep.…”

Sleep Disorders and Symptoms in Blacks with Metabolic Syndrome: the Metabolic Syndrome Outcome Study (MetSO)

“…11,12 Blacks have poor sleep practices including inadequate sleep durations. 13 In our cross-sectional study of a well-characterized sample of Blacks with MetS, we examined the presence of several self-reported sleep characteristics. Several investigations have reported sex differences in sleep parameters including daytime sleepiness 16 and sleep duration.…”