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Racial discrimination and perinatal sleep quality
Brittney Francis1, Mark Klebanoff2, Reena Oza-Frank3
1The Research Institute at Nationwide Children's Hospital; College of Public Health, The Ohio State University; Ohio Perinatal Research Network.
Sleep Health
|July 16, 2017
Summary
Everyday racial discrimination is linked to poorer sleep quality in pregnant women. This psychosocial stressor may impact sleep initiation, maintenance, and daytime function, highlighting its role as a perinatal risk factor.
Area of Science:
- Perinatal health
- Psychosocial stressors
- Sleep science
Background:
- Perceived everyday racial discrimination is a significant psychosocial stressor.
- Poor sleep quality during the perinatal period is linked to adverse maternal and infant outcomes.
- Understanding the impact of discrimination on maternal health is crucial for targeted interventions.
Purpose of the Study:
- To examine the association between perceived everyday racial discrimination and perinatal sleep quality.
- To investigate cross-sectional and longitudinal relationships between discrimination and sleep quality.
- To explore how race and perinatal timing modify the impact of discrimination on sleep.
Main Methods:
- Cross-sectional and longitudinal analyses were conducted on data from 640 women in the Perinatal Research Repository (PRR).
- Experiences of Discrimination Scale and Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) were used for assessments.
- Data were collected from a longitudinal study of mothers, fathers, and babies.
Main Results:
- Everyday discrimination was cross-sectionally associated with poorer global sleep quality and most PSQI sub-measures.
- Increases in discrimination independently predicted poorer sleep initiation, maintenance, and daytime dysfunction.
- Longitudinal associations were not identified, and effects varied by race and perinatal period.
Conclusions:
- Immediate stressors of everyday racial discrimination are independently associated with poorer sleep quality in pregnant women.
- This association may be important in understanding racial discrimination as a risk factor for adverse perinatal outcomes.
- Further longitudinal research is needed to clarify the causal direction and confirm findings.
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