Social-Ecological Risk and Protective Factors for Insufficient Sleep in Adolescents: A Nationally Representative...

Area of Science:

• Adolescent Health
• Sleep Science
• Sociology of Health

Background:

• Insufficient sleep is a growing concern among adolescents, impacting overall health and well-being.
• Understanding the interplay of social determinants and sleep patterns is crucial for targeted interventions.
• Racial and ethnic disparities in adolescent sleep health warrant further investigation.

Purpose of the Study:

• To examine how risk and protective factors influence insufficient sleep in adolescents.
• To determine if these associations differ across racial and ethnic groups.
• To identify specific factors contributing to sleep disparities in diverse adolescent populations.

Main Methods:

• Utilized data from the 2021 Youth Risk Behavior Surveillance System (N = 8,289).
• Assessed community risk factors and interpersonal protective factors.
• Analyzed the odds of insufficient sleep (<7 hours/night) by race/ethnicity.

Main Results:

• Black and multiracial non-Hispanic adolescents showed significantly higher odds of insufficient sleep compared to White adolescents (32%-45% increase).
• Fewer interpersonal protective factors and more community risk factors were independently linked to increased odds of insufficient sleep.
• A significant interaction between protective factors and race/ethnicity was observed for multiracial non-Hispanic adolescents.

Conclusions:

• Risk and protective factors independently predict adolescent sleep duration.
• These factors play distinct roles across racially and ethnically diverse adolescent groups.
• Findings underscore the need for culturally sensitive approaches to address adolescent sleep health.