0839 RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN STRESS AND SLEEP QUALITY IN AFRICAN IMMIGRANTS: THE AFRICANS IN AMERICA STUDY

• Published in: Sleep (New York, N.Y.) Vol. 40; no. suppl_1; p. A311
• Main Authors: Baker, RL, Utumatwishima, JN, Bingham, BA, Sumner, AE, Whitesell, PL
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: US Oxford University Press 28.04.2017
• Subjects: Immigration; Noncitizens; Sleep; United States > US; Africa
• ISSN: 0161-8105; 1550-9109
• DOI: 10.1093/sleepj/zsx050.838

Abstract Introduction: The relationship between stress and sleep quality has not been evaluated in African immigrants (AI) living in the United States. Using allostatic load score (ALS) to assess the physiologic response to stress, we postulated that changes in sleep patterns would be associated with a high ALS, and could possibly play a causal role in the physiologic changes associated with the stressful process of immigration. Methods: Twenty-nine African immigrants (age 39 ± 10 (mean±SD), range 25–62 y, male 72% (21 of 29), BMI 27.6 ± 4.4, range 19.9–42.4 kg/M2) born in Africa and currently in the Washington, DC metropolitan area, who self-identified as healthy, were recruited. ALS was calculated using 10 variables from three domains: cardiovascular (systolic & diastolic BP, cholesterol, triglyceride, homocysteine), metabolic (A1C, albumin, BMI, eGFR), and immunologic (hsCRP). Sleep patterns before and after immigration and the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) were collected. High ALS was defined as ALS≥3. Results: Thirty-eight percent (11/29) of the AI were in the high ALS group. Compared to the low ALS group (18/29), the high ALS group had scores suggesting a trend toward both reduced sleep (PSQI Duration scores = 1.27 ± 1.01 vs. 0.78 ± 1.06, P=0.23) and reduced sleep quality (Global PSQI scores 1.09 ± 0.83 vs. 0.78 ± 0.81, P=0.33). In addition, while both groups averaged lower amounts of sleep in the US vs Africa, the high ALS group exhibited a trend toward greater reduction in the hours of sleep in the US vs. Africa (1.22 ± 1.72 vs. 0.50 ± 1.10, P=0.21). Conclusion: This pilot study suggests that African immigrants who are experiencing physiologic changes of stress, as demonstrated by high ALS, also may exhibit poor sleep quality and reduced sleep duration. A larger sample size is necessary to determine whether these patterns can be confirmed. Support (If Any): This study was funded by the intramural program of NIDDK and NIMHD.