US acculturation and poor sleep among an intergenerational cohort of adult Latinos in Sacramento, California

Association of Birthplace for Sleep Duration, Sleep Quality, and Sleep Disorder Symptoms, at the US-Mexico Border

OBJECTIVES

The present study investigated the roles birthplace and acculturation play in sleep estimates among Hispanic/Latino population at the US-Mexico border.

MEASURES

Data were collected in 2016, from N = 100 adults of Mexican descent from the city of Nogales, AZ, at the US-Mexico border. Sleep was assessed with the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI), Insomnia Severity Index categorized as none, mild, moderate, and severe, and Multivariable Apnea Prediction Index (MAP) categorized as never, infrequently, and frequently. Acculturation was measured with the Acculturation Rating Scale for Mexican-Americans II (ARSMA-II).

RESULTS

The sample consisted of majority Mexican-born (66%, vs. born in the USA 38.2%). Being born in the USA was associated with 55 fewer minutes of nighttime sleep (p = .011), and 1.65 greater PSQI score (p = .031). Compared to no symptoms, being born in the USA was associated with greater likelihood of severe difficulty falling asleep (OR = 8.3, p = .030) and severe difficulty staying asleep (OR = 11.2, p = .050), as well as decreased likelihood of breathing pauses during sleep (OR = 0.18, P = .020). These relationships remained significant after Mexican acculturation was entered in these models. However, greater Anglo acculturation appears to mediate one fewer hour of sleep per night, poorer sleep quality, and reporting of severe difficulty falling asleep and staying asleep.

CONCLUSIONS

Among individuals of Mexican descent, being born in the USA (vs Mexico) is associated with about 1 hour less sleep per night, worse sleep quality, more insomnia symptoms, and less mild sleep apnea symptoms. These relationships are influenced by acculturation, primarily the degree of Anglo rather than the degree of Mexican acculturation.

Sleep Duration Is Associated with Household Food Insecurity and Sugar-Sweetened Beverage Intake Among Women, Infants and Children Participating Children Ages 0-5

PURPOSE

To determine associations between child and household characteristics and sleep duration among low-income children in Los Angeles County.

DESIGN

Cross-sectional study.

SETTING

Survey data collected in 2017 and 2020 in Los Angeles County, California.

SAMPLE

Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants and Children (WIC) households with children ages 4-60 months.

MEASURES

Sleep duration for children 4-60 months old (less than recommended (LTR), recommended range, more than recommended (MTR)), household food insecurity (HFI), sociodemographics, and daily servings of sugar-sweetened beverages (SSB).

ANALYSIS

Multinomial logistic regression, stratified by child age, was used to calculate odds ratios (OR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI) for associations between household/child characteristics and LTR or MTR sleep compared to recommended duration among WIC participating children 4-60 months old.

RESULTS

The final sample included 3512 children ages 4-23 months and 6035 children ages 24-60 months. In the study population, 32% (3-5 years old) to 44% (4-11months) of children under 5 did not meet the recommended hours of sleep per night. HFI was associated with higher odds of LTR (OR 1.27, CI 1.12-1.45) and MTR (OR 1.46, CI 1.15-1.87) sleep among 24-60 month-old children. Each additional daily SSB serving was associated with higher odds of LTR sleep (4-23 months: OR 1.10, CI 1.02-1.19; 24-59 months: OR 1.12, CI 1.08-1.17).

CONCLUSIONS

HFI and SSB intake are associated with not getting the recommended amount of sleep among low-income WIC participating children. Nutrition assistance program participants may benefit from receiving information about recommended sleep duration for young children and how to establish sleep routines to optimize sleep duration.

Insomnia severity and its correlates among English as a second language (ESL) college students

OBJECTIVE

Little is known about insomnia characteristics among the English as a second language (ESL) student population. This study compared insomnia severity between ESL students and English native-speaking students and identified correlates of insomnia in the ESL population.

PARTICIPANTS

College students (N = 352) from a private university in the Northeastern United States, including 22.4% (N = 79) ESL students.

METHODS

For this cross-sectional study, participants completed the Insomnia Severity Index and indices of common risk factors of insomnia along with acculturation and language anxiety.

RESULTS

ESL students reported higher insomnia severity than their US counterparts after controlling for depression, anxiety, and demographics. General anxiety, language anxiety, and cognitive pre-sleep arousal were selected as the strongest predictors of insomnia among the ESL population.

CONCLUSIONS

Findings suggest that ESL college group is vulnerable to greater insomnia, and language anxiety is unique and important correlate of insomnia in this population.

A systematic review of acculturation and sleep health among adult immigrants in the United States

The United States (US) has more immigrants than any other country in the world, with an estimated 44 million non-US-born individuals residing in the country as of 2018. Previous studies have linked US acculturation to both positive and negative health outcomes, including sleep. However, the relationship between US acculturation and sleep health is not well understood. This systematic review aims to identify and synthesize scientific studies on acculturation and sleep health among adult immigrants in the US. A systematic search of the literature was performed in PubMed, Ovid MEDLINE, and Web of Science in 2021 and 2022 with no date limiters. Quantitative studies published anytime in a peer-reviewed journal in English among an adult immigrant population with an explicit measure of acculturation and a sleep health dimension, sleep disorder, or daytime sleepiness measure were considered for inclusion. The initial literature search yielded 804 articles for review; after removing duplicates, applying inclusion and exclusion criteria, and searching reference lists, 38 total articles were included. We found consistent evidence that acculturative stress was associated with worse sleep quality/continuity, daytime sleepiness, and sleep disorders. However, we discovered limited consensus on the association of acculturation scales and acculturation proxy measures with sleep. Our review demonstrated that compared to US-born adult populations, there is a high prevalence of adverse sleep health among immigrant populations, and acculturation likely plays an important role in shaping this disparity, particularly through acculturative stress.

The interrelationship between sleep, diet, and glucose metabolism

Obesity and type 2 diabetes (T2D) are increasingly common worldwide. While these disorders have increased in prevalence over the past several decades, there has been a concomitant reduction in sleep duration. Short sleep duration has been associated with higher rates of obesity and T2D, and the causality of these associations and their directionality, continue to necessitate evaluation. In this review we consider the evidence that sleep is an intrinsic factor in the development of obesity and chronic metabolic disorders, such as insulin resistance and T2D, while evaluating a potential bi-directional association. We consider the evidence that diet and meal composition, which are known to impact glycemic control, may have both chronic and acute impact upon sleep. Moreover, we consider that postprandial nocturnal metabolism and peripheral glycemia may affect sleep quality. We propose putative mechanisms whereby acute effects of nighttime glucose excursions may lead to increased sleep fragmentation. We conclude that dietary manipulations, particularly with respect to carbohydrate quality, may confer sleep benefits. Future research may seek to evaluate the effectiveness of synergistic nutrient strategies to promote sleep quality, with particular attention to carbohydrate quality, quantity, and availability as well as carbohydrate to protein ratio.

COVID-19 related distress and sleep health among trauma-exposed South Asians: Does generational status matter?

The COVID-19 pandemic has resulted in substantial changes in individual and socio-economic factors that may negatively impact sleep health. We examined associations between COVID-19 related distress and sleep among trauma-exposed South Asian adults in the United States. Since a health advantage among foreign-born individuals has been previously noted in the literature (the 'immigrant paradox'), we also explored if generational status (number of generations one's family has been in the U.S.) moderated associations between COVID-19 related distress and sleep health. Participants were 196 trauma-exposed South Asian adults residing in the U.S. (54% male, 63% U.S.-born citizens, average age = 34.51 years), who completed measures of generational status, COVID-19 related distress, trauma exposure, sleep-related impairment (SRI), and sleep disturbances. Greater COVID-19 distress was associated with more sleep disturbances (b = 0.15, p < 0.001) and SRI (b = 0.24, p < 0.001). Generational status was not associated with sleep, nor did it modify associations between COVID-19 distress and sleep. Findings highlight the potential importance of developing interventions to reduce stress and sleep difficulties during the pandemic. Our results did not support the immigration paradox. Future studies are needed to better understand the role of generational status on sleep health across immigrant subgroups.

The Implications of Intergenerational Relationships for Minority Aging: a Review of Recent Literature

Purpose of Review

This study aims to understand how intergenerational relationships impact minority aging in the USA. We reviewed studies published in the last 5 years that examine both familial and non-familial intergenerational relationships.

Recent Findings

Intergenerational relationships can have positive and negative implications for minority aging. Minority older adults benefit most from these relationships when they increase social interaction and/or offer social support by reducing acculturative stress, providing emotional closeness, or increasing access to tangible resources. At the same time, these relationships can be sources of strain as they lead to burden among already disadvantaged groups.

Summary

Future studies should explore the impact of intergenerational relations among more diverse subgroups of older adults and identify mechanisms linking intergenerational relationships to health-related outcomes among minority older adults. Further, longitudinal cohort studies and randomized trials are needed to test mechanisms and evaluate the effectiveness of promising intergenerational interventions.

Racial/Ethnic and Sex/Gender Differences in Sleep Duration Trajectories From Adolescence to Adulthood in a US National Sample

Racial/ethnic and sex/gender disparities in sleep duration have been documented in adolescence and adulthood. Identifying racial/ethnic and sex/gender differences in sleep duration trajectories from adolescence to adulthood can inform interventions on the developmental periods individuals are most at risk for short sleep duration. We examined racial/ethnic and sex/gender differences in self-reported sleep duration trajectories from adolescence to adulthood using data from waves I, III, IV, and V of the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent to Adult Health (1994-2018; n = 12,593). Multigroup growth mixture modeling was used to enumerate sleep duration trajectories from adolescence to adulthood. There were 3 common trajectory types across race/ethnicity and sex/gender groups: 1) consistent increasing short sleepers (i.e., increasing probability of short sleep into adulthood) (67.3%); 2) late-onset short sleepers (i.e., no probability of short sleep duration in adolescence until adulthood) (20.2%); and 3) early-onset short sleepers (i.e., declining probability of short sleep duration from adolescence into adulthood) (12.5%). The prevalence of the consistent-increasing trajectory was highest among Black male respondents, while late onset was highest among White female respondents and early onset greatest among Latinx male respondents. Findings underscore the need to intervene in early adolescence to prevent short sleep duration in adulthood.

Acculturation and depression are associated with short and long sleep duration among Mexican Americans in NHANES 2005-2018

•

Length of time in the US was associated with long sleep duration.

•

Individuals who speak majority English had higher odds of short sleep duration.

•

Depression severity was linked to short and long sleep duration.

Acculturation and depression are linked to poor sleep quality and sleep problems that may explain ongoing health disparities for Hispanics/Latinos. We examined the associations of acculturation, depression, and sleep duration among the Mexican American population. We used a multinomial logistic regression model on cross-sectional data from the 2005–2018 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey on 4,700 Mexican American adults aged ≥18 years old. The outcome of sleep duration was operationalized as short (≤6 h), optimal (7–8 h), and long (≥9 h). Acculturation was constructed using years living in the U.S. and language(s) spoken at home (majority Spanish, English and Spanish equally, majority English). Depression severity was assessed using the 9-item Patient Health Questionnaire. Covariates included gender, age, marital status, income, and U.S. citizenship. Speaking majority English (Adjusted Odds Ratio (AOR) = 1.23; 95% Confidence Interval (CI) = 1.00–1.52) and mild (AOR = 1.63; 95%CI = 1.32–2.01), moderate (AOR = 1.94; 95%CI = 1.43–2.63), and moderately severe/severe (AOR = 2.58; 95%CI = 1.72–3.88) levels of depression were significantly associated with short sleep duration. Living in the U.S. for ≥10 years (AOR = 1.61; 95%CI = 1.17–2.23) and moderately severe/severe depression (AOR = 2.30; 95%CI = 1.34–3.93) were significantly associated with long sleep duration. Our results provide additional evidence of a link between acculturation, depression, and short and long sleep duration among the Mexican American population. Understanding the sleep health of this population is important for informing future public health interventions and research. Additional investigation into the relationship between acculturation/depression and other sleep health measures among this population is warranted.

Systematic review: sleep health in the US Latinx population

Sleep disturbances are a common and unmet health problem in Latinx. While Latinx report similar sleep disturbances as non-Hispanic Whites [NHW], Latinx suffer from these disturbances to a greater degree than their NHW counterparts. Sleep disturbances are associated with increased risk of chronic health conditions, which Latinx experience at high rates. Research also points to significant sleep differences within Latinx. Given that Latinx are a rapidly growing population in the United States, sleep disparities between Latinx and NHWs and sleep differences within Latinx warrant further investigation. While research on Latinx sleep is growing, the last narrative review on US Latinx sleep health was published by Loredo and colleagues in 2010. Our narrative review expands on Loredo et al.'s work, adding the literature on Latinx sleep published since 2010 (N = 70). A total of 78 peer-reviewed articles related to young to middle-aged (i.e., 18-65 years) healthy Latinx adult sleep were identified in three databases-PsycInfo, PubMed/Medline, and Web of Science. With the socioecological model as framework, this review (1) summarizes current evidence pertaining to sleep health in healthy, community dwelling, urban Latinx adults; (2) discusses measurement challenges related to investigating Latinx sleep disparities and differences; and (3) discusses potential contributors to Latinx sleep. The prevalence of short sleep duration, long sleep duration, and poor sleep quality is high among Latinx; there are differences by Latinx subgroup. Our review identifies several multi-level influences associated with poor sleep: SES, sexual minority status, racial discrimination, access to care, neighborhood environment, and shift work. N = 250/250.

Sleep Health, Acculturation, and Acculturative Stress in Immigrants in the United States: A Scoping Review

INTRODUCTION

Poor sleep health has been widely associated with chronic illnesses, and immigrant populations in the United States do not experience optimal sleep, putting them at increased risk of such illnesses. The purpose of this scoping review was to synthesize published literature on the influence of acculturation and acculturative stress on the sleep health of immigrant populations in the United States.

METHOD

This scoping review was guided by Arksey and O'Malley's framework and the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic reviews and Meta-Analyses guideline, and 16 research articles were included in its synthesis of results.

RESULTS

Findings indicated that immigrants in the United States have poor sleep health and that acculturation and acculturative stress may be major influencing factors. In addition, demographic and socio-contextual factors such as gender, economic status, education, and employment characteristics influenced immigrants' sleep. Race and ethnicity were additional factors influencing sleep, but the limited number of studies in this area precludes determination of which groups are most affected. Chronic stress, depressive symptoms, and language influenced immigrants' sleep health, but mixed results were observed for generational status.

DISCUSSION

Future sleep studies should include vulnerable and understudied immigrant groups and consider all socio-contextual and psychological factors potentially affecting sleep health. In health settings serving immigrant groups, nurses should emphasize screening for these factors. Also, comparative studies are needed to identify specific factors that may affect sleep health in particular immigrant ethnic groups.

Phenotypes of obstructive sleep apnea in the Hispanic Community Health Study/Study of Latinos

STUDY OBJECTIVES

Recent work on US Whites from clinical samples used obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) symptoms to generate phenotypes for individuals with moderate-severe OSA which suggested 3 to 5 symptom classes. However, it is unknown whether similar classes generalize to diverse Hispanics/Latino adults. Therefore, we sought to fill this gap by empirically deriving sleep phenotypes among a large sample of diverse Hispanics/Latinos.

METHODS

We used data from The Hispanic Community Health Study/Study of Latinos (HCHS/SOL; 2008-2011), a prospective cohort study designed using a multisite multistage probability sample of adults 18-74 years old. The subpopulation of interest included participants with moderate-severe OSA symptoms (≥15 respiratory event index (REI) events per hour; n = 1,605). We performed latent class analysis for complex survey data using 15 common OSA symptoms (e.g. Epworth Sleepiness Scale) and 4 comorbidities to identify phenotype classes.

RESULTS

Average age was 52.4 ± 13.9 years and 34.0% were female. Mean REI was 33.8 ± 22.5 events per hour. Fit statistics and clinical significance suggested that a three-class solution provided the best fit to the data. The three phenotypes were: (1) Minimally Symptomatic (47.7%), (2) Excessive sleepiness (37.1%), and (3) Disturbed Sleep (15.2%). Sensitivity models were consistent with the main proposed solution.

CONCLUSIONS

Derived sleep phenotypes among diverse Hispanic/Latinos were consistent with recent findings from the Sleep Apnea Global Interdisciplinary Consortium, but we found notable differences in class prevalence relative to Whites. Further research is needed to link derived sleep phenotypes to health comorbidities in diverse populations.

Acculturation and sleep outcomes in Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders: Results from the National Epidemiologic Survey on Alcohol and Related Conditions-III

OBJECTIVES

This study investigates an association between acculturation and sleep outcomes in Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders, an understudied population in sleep studies.

DESIGN

Cross-sectional.

PARTICIPANTS

About 1401 adults who spoke an Asian or Pacific Islander language from the National Epidemiologic Survey on Alcohol and Related Conditions-III.

MEASUREMENTS

Acculturation was assessed using the Bidimensional Acculturation Scale and participants were categorized into non-Asian (proficient only in English), Bicultural (proficient in English and an Asian language), and Asian (proficient only in an Asian language). Nativity and years lived in the United States (US-born, ≤5 years, 6-20 years, and ≥21 years) was used as a proxy of acculturation. Linear and logistic regression models were examined associations between acculturation and sleep duration and sleep difficulties.

RESULTS

Those in the Bicultural group slept slightly longer by 0.19 hours per day than those in the non-Asian group, but this increase was driven by those sleeping >9 hours. Foreign-born Asians who lived in the United States for 6-20 years and ≥21 years slept less by 0.17 and by 0.28 hours relative to US-born Asians. Foreign-born Asians who lived in the United States ≤5 years were less likely to have sleep difficulties than US-born Asians (odds ratio: 0.49, 95% confidence interval: 0.26-0.92).

CONCLUSIONS

The Bicultural group has unusually long sleep hours, while the benefits of not having sleep difficulties among recent immigrants did not exist among immigrants who lived a longer time in the United States. Future studies should identify the mechanism underlying the observed associations.

Disparities in multiple sleep characteristics among non-Hispanic White and Hispanic/Latino adults by birthplace and language preference: cross-sectional results from the US National Health Interview Survey

OBJECTIVE

To investigate whether sleep disparities vary by birthplace among non-Hispanic White (NHW) and Hispanic/Latino adults in the USA and to investigate language preference as an effect modifier.

DESIGN

Cross-sectional.

SETTING

USA.

PARTICIPANTS

254 699 men and women.

METHODS

We used pooled 2004-2017 National Health Interview Survey data. Adjusting for sociodemographic and behavioural/clinical characteristics, survey-weighted Poisson regressions with robust variance estimated prevalence ratios (PRs) and 95% CIs of self-reported sleep characteristics (eg, sleep duration, trouble staying asleep) among (1) foreign-born NHW adults and Hispanic/Latino heritage groups versus US-born NHW adults and (2) Hispanic/Latino heritage groups versus foreign-born NHW adults. We further stratified by language preference in comparisons of Hispanic/Latino heritage groups with the US-born NHW group.

RESULTS

Among 254 699 participants with a mean age±SE 47±0.9 years, 81% self-identified their race/ethnicity as NHW, 12% Mexican, 2% Puerto Rican, 1% Cuban, 1% Dominican and 3% Central/South American. Compared with US-born NHW adults, foreign-born NHW adults were more likely to report poor sleep quality (eg, PR_{trouble staying asleep}=1.27 (95% CI: 1.17 to 1.37)), and US-born Mexican adults were no more likely to report non-recommended sleep duration while foreign-born Mexican adults were less likely (eg, PR_≤5-hours=0.52 (0.47 to 0.57)). Overall, Mexican adults had lower prevalence of poor sleep quality versus US-born NHW adults, and PRs were lowest for foreign-born Mexican adults. US-born Mexican adults were more likely than foreign-born NHW adults to report shorter sleep duration. Regardless of birthplace, Puerto Rican adults were more likely to report shorter sleep duration versus NHW adults. Generally, sleep duration and quality were better among Cuban and Dominican adults versus US-born NHW adults but were similar versus foreign-born NHW adults. Despite imprecision in certain estimates, Spanish language preference was generally associated with increasingly better sleep among Hispanic/Latino heritage groups compared with US-born NHW adults.

CONCLUSION

Sleep disparities varied by birthplace, Hispanic/Latino heritage and language preference, and each characteristic should be considered in sleep disparities research.

Culturally-consistent diet among individuals of Mexican descent at the US-Mexico border is associated with sleep duration and snoring

BACKGROUND

Existing studies show that consuming food consistent with one's culture reduces cardiometabolic risk. However, few studies have assessed whether these dietary choices influence sleep health. Accordingly, this study assessed how Mexican food consumption by individuals of Mexican descent residing at the US-Mexico border, was associated with various measures of sleep, after accounting for acculturation.

METHODS

Data were provided by 100 adults between the ages of 18-60, in the city of Nogales, AZ. Questionnaires were provided in either Spanish or English. Acculturation was assessed with the Acculturation Scale for Mexican-Americans (ARSMA-II), with an additional question, asking how often "my family cooks Mexican foods." Frequency of cooking Mexican food was coded as either "yes" or "no." Sleep was assessed, using validated measures that include the Insomnia Severity Index (ISI), the Epworth Sleepiness Scale (ESS), the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI), and sleep duration with the item "how many hours of actual sleep did you get at night?" Regression models estimated the associations between sleep health variables as outcomes and consumption of Mexican food as the independent variable. Covariates included age, sex, and acculturation scores. Parental education level was also included, as an indicator of childhood socioeconomic status and since food culture likely involves parents.

RESULT

We found that among individuals who identified as Mexican-Americans who consumed culturally-consistent foods, was associated with, on average, 1.41 more hours of sleep (95% CI 0.19, 2.62; p = 0.024) and were less likely to report snoring (OR: 0.25; 95% CI 0.07, 0.93; p = 0.039). Consuming Mexican food was not associated with sleep quality, insomnia severity or sleepiness.

CONCLUSION

Individuals of Mexican descent residing at the US-Mexico border who regularly consumed Mexican food, reported more sleep and less snoring. Mexican acculturation has been shown previously to improve sleep health. This is likely due to consumption of a culturally- consistent diet. Future studies should examine the role of acculturation in sleep health, dietary choices, and subsequent cardiometabolic risk.

Associations of Self-Reported Sleep Quality with Demographic and Other Characteristics in Older Korean Immigrants

Poor sleep is common among older adults, affecting a wide range of health outcomes. However, little is known about sleep issues among older Korean immigrants, the fastest growing Asian American subgroup in the United States. We aimed to explore multiple factors associated with sleep among this group. We analyzed cross-sectional survey data from 43 older immigrants living in two large Korean communities in Southern California. Perceived sleep quality was significantly associated with gender, living arrangement, employment status, mental health, and sleep-related beliefs (all p-values < 0.05). Living with someone and being employed for wages were significantly uniquely associated with better sleep quality, accounting for demographic and health-related factors (R² = 51.8%, adjusted R² = 38.7%, p = 0.002). These findings suggest a potential role of sociocultural factors on sleep. Further studies are needed to confirm these findings and to inform a sleep intervention program tailored to the characteristics of older Korean immigrants.

Longitudinal Associations of US Acculturation With Cognitive Performance, Cognitive Impairment, and Dementia

US Latinos, a growing, aging population, are disproportionately burdened by cognitive decline and dementia. Identification of modifiable risk factors is needed for interventions aimed at reducing risk. Broad sociocultural context may illuminate complex etiology among culturally diverse Latinos. Among 1,418 older (≥60 years), low-socioeconomic position (SEP) Latinos (predominantly of Mexican descent) in Sacramento, California, we examined whether US acculturation was associated with cognitive performance, cognitive decline, and dementia/ cognitive impairment without dementia over a 10-year period and whether education modified the associations (Sacramento Area Latino Study on Aging, 1998-2008). Analyses used linear mixed models, competing-risk regression, and inverse probability of censoring weights for attrition. Participants with high US acculturation had better cognitive performance (0.21 fewer cognitive errors at grand-mean-centered age 70 years) than those with low acculturation after adjustment for sociodemographic factors, practice effects, and survey language. Results may have been driven by cultural language use rather than identity factors (e.g., ethnic identity, interactions). Rate of cognitive decline and risk of dementia/cognitive impairment without dementia did not differ by acculturation, regardless of education (β = 0.00 (standard error, 0.00) and hazard ratio = 0.81 (95% confidence interval: 0.49, 1.35), respectively). High US acculturation was associated with better cognitive performance among these older, low-SEP Latinos. Acculturation may benefit cognition when SEP is low. Future studies should incorporate extended longitudinal assessments among more diverse groups.

Disparities in Sleep Health and Potential Intervention Models: A Focused Review

Disparities in sleep health are important but underrecognized contributors to health disparities. Understanding the factors contributing to sleep heath disparities and developing effective interventions are critical to improving all aspects of heath. Sleep heath disparities are impacted by socioeconomic status, racism, discrimination, neighborhood segregation, geography, social patterns, and access to health care as well as by cultural beliefs, necessitating a cultural appropriateness component in any intervention devised for reducing sleep health disparities. Pediatric sleep disparities require innovative and urgent intervention to establish a foundation of lifelong healthy sleep. Tapping the vast potential of technology in improving sleep health access may be an underutilized tool to reduce sleep heath disparities. Identifying, implementing, replicating, and disseminating successful interventions to address sleep disparities have the potential to reduce overall disparities in health and quality of life.

Acculturation Associated with Sleep Duration, Sleep Quality, and Sleep Disorders at the US-Mexico Border

Sleep disparities exist among Hispanics/Latinos, although little work has characterized individuals at the United States (US)-Mexico border, particularly as it relates to acculturation. This study examined the association of Anglo and Mexican acculturation to various facets of sleep health among those of Mexican descent at the US-Mexico border. Data were collected from N = 100 adults of Mexican descent in the city of Nogales, Arizona (AZ). Surveys were presented in English or Spanish. Acculturation was assessed with the Acculturation Scale for Mexican-Americans (ARSMA-II). Insomnia was assessed with the Insomnia Severity Index (ISI), sleepiness was assessed with the Epworth Sleepiness Scale (ESS), sleep apnea risk was assessed with the Multivariable Apnea Prediction (MAP) index, weekday and weekend sleep duration and efficiency were assessed with the Sleep Timing Questionnaire, sleep quality was assessed with the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI), and sleep duration and sleep medication use were assessed with PSQI items. No associations were found between Mexican acculturation and any sleep outcomes in adjusted analyses. Anglo acculturation was associated with less weekend sleep duration and efficiency, worse insomnia severity and sleep quality, and more sleep apnea risk and sleep medication use. These results support the idea that sleep disparities may depend on the degree of acculturation, which should be considered in risk screening and interventions.

Sleep Patterns among US Latinos by Nativity and Country of Origin: Results from the National Health Interview Survey

Background

Sparse data exist to describe national population-level trends in short sleep duration among Latinos. Because short sleep duration is associated with several health conditions that are common in Latinos, such as obesity, diabetes, and hypertension, understanding sleep trends among this population may be key to reducing their disease burden. This study aimed to document Latino subgroup differences in self-reported sleep duration by nativity and country of origin relative to Whites.

Design and Setting

Pooled cross-sectional analysis of self-reported data from the National Health and Interview Survey (NHIS), 2004-2017.

Participants

303,244 respondents, aged 18 to 84 years, who self-identified as non-Latino US-born White, US-born Mexican, foreign-born Mexican, US-born Puerto Rican, island-born Puerto Rican, US-born Cuban, foreign-born Cuban, US-born Dominican, foreign-born Dominican, US-born Central/South American, foreign-born Central/South American, US-born "other" Latino, and foreign-born "other" Latino.

Methods

Multinomial logistic regression models were used to predict sleep duration controlling for demographics, acculturation, socioeconomic, and health-related factors.

Results

We found that all Latino subgroups (except US-born Cubans) were more likely to report poor sleep duration relative to non-Latino Whites, net of demographic, acculturation, socioeconomic, and health-related characteristics. However, the magnitude of disadvantage varies by Latino subgroup. We also found that poor sleep duration is concentrated among certain age groups for the various Latino subpopulations.

Conclusions

Given that Latinos in the United States are at higher risk for obesity, diabetes, and hypertension, understanding the patterns of sleep among this population can help identify strategies to improve sleep habits in order to reduce disease burden.