Discrimination and sleep among Asians and Pacific Islanders adults

To examine the association between discrimination and sleep duration and difficulty among Asians and Pacific Islanders (APIs) in the United States, and to test nativity and ethnic identity (EI) as effect modifiers.

This cross-sectional study of 1,765 adults from the National Epidemiology Study of Alcohol and Related Conditions III, assessed discrimination using the Experiences of Discrimination scale. Discrimimation was classified as low, moderate, and high. Regression models were used to examine self-reported sleep duration and difficulty.

In bivariate analyses, individuals with high discrimination had the shortest sleep and reported sleep difficulty most often. Using linear models adjusted for sociodemographic and health characteristics, moderate and high discrimination were associated with 9 min (standard error [SE]: 4.8, p < .10) and 14.4 min (SE: 6.0, p < .05) less sleep, respectively, relative to low discrimination. Individuals with moderate and high discrimination had higher prevalence of sleep difficulty compared to those with low discrimination (prevalence ratio [PR]: 1.51, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.14-1.99 and PR: 1.73, 95% CI: 1.33-2.24, respectively). Interaction effect was observed in sleep difficulty by nativity and EI, but not duration. The association between discrimination and sleep difficulty was stronger among U.S.-born relative to foreign-born participants. Among participants with low EI, moderate and high discrimination were associated with sleep difficulty, whereas among those with high EI, only high discrimination displayed this association.

Discrimination is associated with sleep duration and difficulty, and varies by nativity and EI. Research is needed to improve sleep among APIs that experience discrimination.