Abstract
Abstract
Introduction
Migration can be a stressful experience and may lead to poor health and behavioral changes. The immigrant population in Switzerland is disproportionately burdened by several negative health outcomes, chief among these is mental health issues. There is little population-based evidence highlighting the impact emotional distress has on sleep patterns and whether it might explain the unhealthy sleep disparity. The aim of the study was to investigate whether sleep disturbances are more prevalent among immigrants compared to non-immigrants and whether emotional distress might explain sleep differences between immigrants and non-immigrants.
Methods
Based on the Swiss Health Survey 2012 dataset, we analyzed the data of 17,968 people, out of which 3,406 respondents were immigrants. We examined variables including disturbed sleep, emotional distress, clinical and socio-demographic data using unadjusted and adjusted generalized linear models.
Results
Compared to Non-immigrants, immigrants suffer significantly more often from trouble falling asleep, disrupted sleep, and early morning awakenings. Immigrants also endorsed higher levels of emotional distress. Higher values of emotional distress are related to more symptoms of sleep disorders. In unadjusted models, immigrants were 21% more likely to report sleep disturbances compared to non-immigrants (OR=1.21, 95% CI 1.11–1.32, p<.001). In adjusted regression models, being an immigrant with emotional distress were at significant risk for sleep disturbances (OR=1.10, 95% CI=1.16–1.40, p<.001). Among males, the interaction between immigrant status and emotional distress (OR=1.17, 95% CI= 1.08–1.27, p<.001) were linked to increased risk of sleep disorder symptoms. However, this interaction was not significant among females.
Conclusion
Sleep disturbance disparities between immigrants and non-immigrants may be influenced by emotional distress. Males more than females appear to be particularly affected by negative effects emotional distress has on sleep disturbances. Migration health care should address emotional distress, a more proximal and modifiable factor, as a possible cause of disturbed sleep in immigrants.
Support (If Any)
NIH/NHLBI K01HL135452, NIH/NIA K07AG052685.
