What Makes for a Good Night’s Sleep? A Multilevel Investigation of Individual and Neighborhood Influences on Sleep Disparities

Nyesha C. Black, Pennsylvania State University

Sleep has a significant impact on general health. Despite the importance of sleep, the topic has been largely ignored in the health disparities literature. To better understand individual and environmental influences on sleep disparities, this study aims to use multilevel modeling to investigate racial/ethnic sleep disparities, and to examine how differences in sleep quality and duration are mediated by neighborhood context. Preliminary results from the Philadelphia Health Management Corporation’s Household Survey show that Blacks are 23%, while Hispanics are 49% more likely to report poor sleep quality than Whites. Furthermore, Blacks and Hispanics are almost 2 times more likely to experience short sleep duration as opposed to the recommended hours of sleep compared to Whites. Future analysis will investigate individual and environmental influences (e.g., crime, violence, traffic noise) on sleep disparities. This study will fill a void in health disparities literature by examining a neglected and imperative determinant of health.