title: Associations between sleep difficulties and risk factors for cardiovascular disease in veterans and active duty military personnel of the Iraq and Afghanistan conflicts.
abstract: Recent evidence suggests that sleep disturbance may play an important role in the development of cardiovascular disease (CVD). Despite the prevalence of sleep complaints among service members of recent military conflicts, few studies have examined associations between sleep and risk factors for CVD in this population. Symptom checklist items regarding distress about "trouble falling asleep" and "restless/disturbed sleep" were used as proxies for sleep onset and maintenance difficulties to examine these associations in US military service members of recent conflicts. Veterans having both sleep onset and maintenance difficulties had greater odds of being a current smoker and having psychiatric symptoms and diagnoses. Increased odds of a self-reported hypertension diagnosis and elevated systolic blood pressure were also found in certain subsets of this sample. Findings highlight the need for greater recognition of sleep difficulties as a CVD risk factor in a population known to be at increased risk for this condition.
authors: HSR&D (152), Durham Veterans Affairs Medical Center, 508 Fulton Street, Durham, NC, 27705, USA, christi.ulmer@va.gov.
authors: Christi S
authors: CS
authors: Ulmer
authors: Hayden B
authors: HB
authors: Bosworth
authors: Anne
authors: A
authors: Germain
authors: Jennifer
authors: J
authors: Lindquist
authors: Maren
authors: M
authors: Olsen
authors: Mira
authors: M
authors: Brancu
authors: Jean C
authors: JC
authors: Beckham
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D055826:Afghan Campaign 2001-; D002318:Cardiovascular Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000523:psychology*; D015897:Comorbidity; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D003865:Major Depressive Disorder / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000523:psychology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D054542:Iraq War, 2003-2011; D008297:Male; D008889:Military Personnel / Q000523:psychology* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D016017:Odds Ratio; D012307:Risk Factors; D007319:Sleep Initiation and Maintenance Disorders / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000523:psychology*; D013313:Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000523:psychology; D014728:Veterans / Q000523:psychology* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*