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Racial Disparities in Sleep: Potential Mediation by Discrimination and Psychological Distress.
Michael P Mead1, Emily A Vargas2, Kristen L Knutson3
1Department of Neurology, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, 710 N Lake Shore Dr, Chicago, IL, 60611, USA. Michael.mead@northwestern.edu.
Journal of Racial and Ethnic Health Disparities
|February 2, 2022
Summary
Experiences of racial discrimination negatively impact sleep health by increasing psychological distress. Black participants reported more discrimination, leading to worse sleep outcomes compared to White participants.
Area of Science:
- Social Epidemiology
- Health Disparities Research
- Sleep Science
Background:
- Racial discrimination is linked to sleep disparities, with psychological distress as a mediator.
- Previous studies lacked examination of race within mediation pathways and limited sleep/psychological dimensions.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate serial mediation pathways of race, discrimination, psychological distress, and sleep health.
- To analyze how discrimination and psychological distress (depressive symptoms, chronic stress, loneliness) influence sleep health across racial groups.
Main Methods:
- Utilized data from the 2010 Health Retirement Study (HRS) with 7,749 Black and White participants.
- Assessed race, sleep health (4-item questionnaire), depressive symptoms (CES-D), chronic stress, and loneliness (UCLA scale).
- Employed serial mediation models controlling for covariates.
Main Results:
- Black participants reported higher levels of discrimination compared to White participants.
- Discrimination was significantly associated with increased psychological distress (depressive symptoms, stress, loneliness).
- Increased psychological distress, in turn, was linked to poorer sleep health outcomes.
Conclusions:
- Discrimination significantly contributes to racial disparities in sleep health.
- Psychological distress acts as a key mediator in the relationship between discrimination and adverse sleep outcomes.
- Findings highlight the detrimental impact of discrimination on psychological well-being and sleep health.
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