Citation

Carr M, Yoo A, Guardino D, Hall WC, McIntosh S, Pigeon WR. Sleep Health 2022; ePub(ePub): ePub.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2022, Elsevier Publishing)

DOI

10.1016/j.sleh.2022.10.011

PMID

36496307

Abstract

OBJECTIVES: Numerous health disparities are documented in deaf population research, but few empirical sleep assessments exist for this under-served population, despite knowledge that sleep contributes to physical and mental health disparities. We sought to document subjective and objective sleep in deaf adults with cross-sectional and prospective measures.

METHODS: Twenty deaf participants completed validated sleep and mental health questionnaires, 2-weeks of nightly sleep diaries and continuous wrist-worn actigraphy monitoring, and 1-week of nightly, reduced-montage EEG recordings.

RESULTS: Questionnaire data suggest high prevalence of insomnia (70%), poor sleep (75%), daytime sleepiness (25%) and nightmares (20%) among participants. Strong correlations were found between depression and sleep quality, fear of sleep, and insomnia severity (p's <.005).

OBJECTIVE sleep assessments suggest elevated wake after sleep onset and low sleep efficiency and sleep duration.

CONCLUSIONS: The prevalence of sleep disturbance recorded from self-report and objective sleep measures provides preliminary evidence of sleep health disparity among deaf adults.

Language: en

Keywords

Insomnia; Health disparity; Sleep; Deaf; Deaf wellness; Deafness; Sleep health