Report: Sleep disturbances show different effects between races
16/04/2010
A new study in the Journal of Clinical Sleep Medicine proves that sleep disturbances are associated with "meaningful reductions" in quality of life and is multiplied as per the individual''s race or sleep disorder.
Leading the research, Carol M Baldwin, a Southwest Borderlands scholar and director of the Center for World Health Promotion and Disease Prevention at Arizona State University, noted the disparity between Caucasians, African-Americans and Hispanics in particular when it came to sleep and quality of life.
It was said that African-Americans who snored heavily, had insomnia or excessive daytime sleepiness, were much worse-off than Caucasian and Hispanic counterparts in regards to physical health deterioration.
However, Hispanic people with frequent snoring, insomnia symptoms or excessive daytime sleepiness showed greater mental distress than Caucasians, as did African-Americans.
"These findings support the need for sleep clinicians to use culturally-responsive sleep education, assessment and intervention approaches, as well as depression, anxiety and other relevant mood and socioeconomic-status measures," said Ms Baldwin.
The Journal of Clinical Sleep Medicine is published by the American Academy of Sleep Medicine, which sets standards and promotes excellence in sleep medicine health care, education and research.
Posted by Michael Ewing
