Sleep and Economic Status Are Linked to Daily Life Stress in African-Born Blacks Living in America

• Type of Material: Article
• Authors: Zoe C Waldman, National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases, Bethesda; Blayne R Schenk, National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases, Bethesda; Marie G Duhuze Karera, National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases, Bethesda; Arielle C Patterson, National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases, Bethesda; Thomas Hormenu, National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases, Bethesda; Lilian S Mabundo, National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases, Bethesda; Christopher W DuBose, National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases, Bethesda; Ram Jagannathan, Emory University; PL Whitesell, Howard University; Annemarie Wentzel, National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases, Bethesda; Margrethe F Horlyck-Romanovsky, National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases, Bethesda; Anne E Sumner, National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases, Bethesda
• Language: English
• Date: 2022-03-01
• Publisher: MDPI
• Publication Version: Final Published Version
• Copyright Statement: © 2022 by the authors.
• License: Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International
• Final Published Version (URL): http://dx.doi.org/10.3390/ijerph19052562
• Title of Journal or Parent Work: INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH
• Volume: 19
• Issue: 5
• Grant/Funding Information: Funding came from the Intramural Programs of NIDDK and NIMHD.
• Keywords: socioeconomic status; Environmental Sciences; GLUCOSE-TOLERANCE; IMMIGRANTS; Life Sciences & Biomedicine; QUALITY; Science & Technology; ASSOCIATION; CARDIOMETABOLIC HEALTH; HEMOGLOBIN; Public, Environmental & Occupational Health; Environmental Sciences & Ecology; perceived stress; African immigrants; sleep quality; RISK-FACTORS; DURATION; METABOLIC SYNDROME; CARDIOVASCULAR HEALTH
• Research Categories: Health Sciences, Public Health; Health Sciences, Medicine and Surgery; Health Sciences, Nutrition

Abstract

To identify determinants of daily life stress in Africans in America, 156 African-born Blacks (Age: 40 ± 10 years (mean ± SD), range 22–65 years) who came to the United States as adults (age ≥ 18 years) were asked about stress, sleep, behavior and socioeconomic status. Daily life stress and sleep quality were assessed with the Perceived Stress Scale (PSS) and Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI), respectively. High-stress was defined by the threshold of the upper quartile of population distribution of PSS (≥16) and low-stress as PSS < 16. Poor sleep quality required PSQI > 5. Low income was defined as <40 k yearly. In the high and low-stress groups, PSS were: 21 ± 4 versus 9 ± 4, p < 0.001 and PSQI were: 6 ± 3 versus 4 ± 3, p < 0.001, respectively. PSS and PSQI were correlated (r = 0.38, p < 0.001). The odds of high-stress were higher among those with poor sleep quality (OR 5.11, 95% CI: 2.07, 12.62), low income (OR 5.03, 95% CI: 1.75, 14.47), and no health insurance (OR 3.01, 95% CI: 1.19, 8.56). Overall, in African-born Blacks living in America, daily life stress appears to be linked to poor quality sleep and exacerbated by low income and lack of health insurance.