title: Perceived racial discrimination as an independent predictor of sleep disturbance and daytime fatigue.
abstract: Perceived discrimination is a potential cause of racial and ethnic disparities in health. Disturbed sleep may serve as a mechanism linking perceived racism with health consequences. This study investigates data from 7,148 adults from Michigan and Wisconsin who participated in the 2006 Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System. Hierarchical logistic regression analyses explored associations between perceived racial discrimination and self-reported sleep disturbance and daytime fatigue. Sleep disturbance and daytime fatigue were reported in 19% and 21% of the sample, respectively. Black/African American respondents (21%) report perceiving worse experiences, compared to people of other races, when seeking health care at higher rates than non-Hispanic White respondents (3%). Results from logistic regression models show that perceived racial discrimination is associated with increased risks of sleep disturbance (odds ratio [OR] = 2.62, p < .0001) and daytime fatigue (OR = 2.07, p < .0001). After adjustment for all covariates, perceived discrimination remains a significant predictor of sleep disturbance (OR = 1.60, p = .04). The interaction between perceived racism and race (Black/African American vs. non-Hispanic White) was nonsignificant. This population-based research adds to the growing body of data, suggesting that perceived racism may impact health via its influence on sleep-wake behaviors.
authors.affiliation: Center for Sleep and Circadian Neurobiology, Division of Sleep Medicine, Department of Medicine , University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA. grandner@upenn.edu
authors.forename: Michael A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Grandner
authors.forename: Lauren
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Hale
authors.forename: Nicholas
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Jackson
authors.forename: Nirav P
authors.initials: NP
authors.lastname: Patel
authors.forename: Nalaka S
authors.initials: NS
authors.lastname: Gooneratne
authors.forename: Wendy M
authors.initials: WM
authors.lastname: Troxel
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001741:Black or African American / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D000368:Aged; D006970:Disorders of Excessive Somnolence / Q000208:ethnology* / Q000523:psychology*; D005260:Female; D015438:Health Behavior / Q000208:ethnology; D006297:Health Services Accessibility / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006304:Health Status; D054624:Health Status Disparities; D006630:Hispanic or Latino / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008824:Michigan; D008875:Middle Aged; D011159:Population Surveillance; D011287:Prejudice; D015995:Prevalence; D063505:Racism / Q000208:ethnology* / Q000523:psychology*; D012307:Risk Factors; D012892:Sleep Deprivation / Q000208:ethnology* / Q000523:psychology*; D044465:White People / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D014922:Wisconsin; D055815:Young Adult