Associations of Self-Reported Sleep Quality with Demographic and Other Characteristics in Older Korean Immigrants

• Published in: Journal of immigrant and minority health Vol. 24; no. 2; pp. 403 - 411
• Main Authors: Song, Yeonsu, Martin, Jennifer L., Lee, Diane, Kramer, B. Josea, Ryan, Gery W., Hays, Ron D., Choi, Sarah E.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: New York Springer US 01.04.2022; Springer Nature B.V
• Subjects: Aged; Asian Americans; Asian Americans - psychology; Asian cultural groups; Comparative Law; Cross-Sectional Studies; Demographics; Demography; Emigrants and Immigrants; Employment; Employment status; Health behavior; Health beliefs; Health status; Humans; Immigrants; International & Foreign Law; Korean Americans; Medicine; Medicine & Public Health; Mental health; Older people; Original Paper; Private International Law; Public Health; Republic of Korea - epidemiology; Self Report; Sleep; Sleep Quality; Sociocultural factors; Sociology; Subgroups; United States - epidemiology; United States; Republic of Korea; Korean immigrants; Perceived sleep quality; Health; Older adults; Minority
• ISSN: 1557-1912; 1557-1920
• DOI: 10.1007/s10903-021-01174-y

Poor sleep is common among older adults, affecting a wide range of health outcomes. However, little is known about sleep issues among older Korean immigrants, the fastest growing Asian American subgroup in the United States. We aimed to explore multiple factors associated with sleep among this group. We analyzed cross-sectional survey data from 43 older immigrants living in two large Korean communities in Southern California. Perceived sleep quality was significantly associated with gender, living arrangement, employment status, mental health, and sleep-related beliefs (all p-values < 0.05). Living with someone and being employed for wages were significantly uniquely associated with better sleep quality, accounting for demographic and health-related factors (R 2  = 51.8%, adjusted R 2  = 38.7%, p = 0.002). These findings suggest a potential role of sociocultural factors on sleep. Further studies are needed to confirm these findings and to inform a sleep intervention program tailored to the characteristics of older Korean immigrants.