Sleep Problems Vary By Race
Reported April 15, 2010
(Ivanhoe Newswire) — It’s no surprise that trouble sleeping can cause a number of health-related problems, but a recent study demonstrates that insomnia’s affect on quality of life can vary by race.
Research showed African-Americans who snored regularly, had insomnia symptoms, or reported excessive daytime sleepiness had a physical health-related quality of life significantly worse than that of caucasians and Hispanics. When mental health-related quality of life was evaluated, Hispanics with sleep disturbances were found to have greater mental distress than African-Americans and caucasians.
The causes of the differences in health-related quality of life are complex and may include factors such as lifestyle and activity patterns, diet and access to health care. However, researchers suggest that the impact of sleep disorders on daily living and general well-being may be similar to that of other chronic conditions.
“These findings support the need for sleep clinicians to use culturally-responsive sleep education, assessment and intervention approaches, as well as depression, anxiety and other relevant mood and socioeconomic-status measures,” the study’s lead author Carol M. Baldwin, Ph.D., RN, FAAN, director of the Center for World Health Promotion and Disease Prevention in the College of Nursing and Health Innovation at Arizona State University in Phoenix, Ariz., was quoted as saying.
Source: Journal of Clinical Sleep Medicine, April 15, 2010