title: Sleep disturbance mediates the relationship between perceived racism and depressive symptoms.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To examine the effects of racism on sleep disturbance and depression and to examine whether sleep disturbance mediates the effects of racism on depression.
  
  
  METHODS
  Cross-sectional questionnaire study.
  
  
  METHODS
  Community.
  
  
  METHODS
  168 Hispanic-American immigrants, 45% female, average age 33 years, average length of time living in the United States was 5 years.
  
  
  METHODS
  The Perceived Racism Scale for Latinos, the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index, and the Center for Epidemiologic Studies-Depression (CES-D) Scale.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Using hierarchical linear regression analyses, perceived racism was related to increased sleep disturbance (b=.21, P<.01) and higher levels of depressive symptoms (b=.24, P<.01). When sleep disturbance was included in the regression equation, perceived racism was no longer a significant predictor of depressive symptoms (b=.10, nonsignificant), indicating that sleep disturbance mediated the relationship between perceived racism and depressive symptoms.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This study adds to the research literature by identifying sleep disturbance as a potential pathway through which perceived racism may affect health.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology, Brigham Young University; 284 Taylor Building; Provo, UT 84602-8626, USA. steffen@byu.edu
authors.forename: Patrick R
authors.initials: PR
authors.lastname: Steffen
authors.forename: Matthew
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Bowden
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D003863:Depression; D004641:Emigration and Immigration; D005260:Female; D006630:Hispanic or Latino; D006801:Humans; D016014:Linear Models; D011287:Prejudice; D012892:Sleep Deprivation / Q000523:psychology*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014481:United States