Primary Submission Category: LGBTQ+
Neighborhood Social Cohesion and Sleep Health among Sexual Minoritized US Adults and Intersections with Sex/Gender, Race/Ethnicity, and Age
Authors: Symielle Gaston Dana M. Alhasan Rupsha Singh Jamie A. Murkey Christopher Payne W. Braxton Jackson II Chandra L. Jackson
Presenting Author: Symielle A. Gaston*
Introduction: Disparities in poor sleep health exist among sexual minoritized compared to heterosexual persons, which likely contributes to health disparities (e.g., depression) in sexual minoritized groups. Living in safe communities characterized by trust and social ties may buffer against stressors that drive sleep disparities; but neighborhood social cohesion (nSC) in relation to sleep health is understudied among sexual minoritized groups. Further, intersectionality or membership in multiple minoritized groups may exacerbate risk; yet it is rarely assessed. Methods: To investigate associations between perceived nSC and sleep health among US men and women aged ≥18 years who identified as ‘lesbian or gay, bisexual, or something else’, we pooled annual cross-sectional National Health Interview Survey data (2013-2018). Participants reported nSC, (categorized as low or medium vs. high) and sleep characteristics. Adjusting for sociodemographic and residence characteristics, we used Poisson regression with robust variance to estimate prevalence ratios (PRs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs). Results: Among 5,158 sexual minoritized adults, 44% reported low, 31% medium, and 24% high nSC. Women, minoritized racial/ethnic groups, and young adults disproportionately reported low nSC. Adults perceiving low vs. high nSC had a higher prevalence of short sleep duration (<7 hours: 37% vs. 29%) and poor sleep quality (e.g., insomnia symptoms: 65% vs. 55%). Overall, low nSC was associated with a 20% higher prevalence of insomnia symptoms (PR=1.20 [95% CI:1.11-1.30]) and medium nSC with a 12% higher prevalence (PR=1.12 [1.03-1.22]). Black sexual minoritized men with perceived low (PR=2.07 [1.15-3.74]) and medium (PR=2.05 [1.12-3.76]) vs. high nSC had the highest PRs for insomnia symptoms. Conclusion: Lower perceived nSC was associated with poorer sleep. Building relationships, safety, and trust within communities may help address sleep disparities among sexual minoritized adults.