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Insufficient Sleep, Sleep Disturbance, and Napping in Australia: A Cross-Sectional Analysis From a Household-Based
Shannon L Edmed1,2, M Mamun Huda3, Cassandra L Pattinson4,5,6
1Child Health Research Centre, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Australia. s.edmed@uq.edu.au.
International Journal of Behavioral Medicine
|July 7, 2026
Summary
Sleep health is influenced by individual and socio-environmental factors, not just personal habits. This study highlights the need for multi-level interventions to improve sleep quality across populations.
Area of Science:
- Public Health
- Sleep Science
- Sociology
Background:
- Sleep health is a significant public health concern often treated as an individual issue.
- A socioecological model posits that sleep is affected by individual, social, and societal factors.
- This study explores sleep health within a socioecological framework using Australian household data.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the prevalence of insufficient sleep, sleep disturbance, and napping.
- To examine individual, social, and societal correlates of sleep outcomes.
- To understand the socioecological determinants of sleep health in Australia.
Main Methods:
- Utilized data from 17,570 adults from the Household, Income and Labour Dynamics in Australia (HILDA) Survey (Wave 17, 2017).
- Employed multiple logistic regression models to analyze cross-sectional associations.
- Examined relationships between self-reported individual, sociodemographic, social, and societal factors and sleep outcomes.
Main Results:
- 18% reported insufficient sleep, 20% experienced sleep disturbance, and 30% napped weekly.
- Individual health behaviors were significant correlates, alongside social and societal factors.
- Marital status, presence of young children, geography, neighborhood socioeconomic position, and housing tenure were associated with sleep outcomes.
Conclusions:
- Sleep health is influenced by a combination of individual and socio-environmental factors.
- Findings support the development of multi-level intervention strategies for sleep health.
- Socioecological context plays a crucial role in population sleep health.
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