Characterization of sleep among deaf individuals

Michelle Carr; Alexander Yoo; Donna Guardino; Wyatte C Hall; Scott McIntosh; Wilfred R Pigeon

doi:10.1016/j.sleh.2022.10.011

Characterization of sleep among deaf individuals

Sleep Health. 2023 Apr;9(2):177-180. doi: 10.1016/j.sleh.2022.10.011. Epub 2022 Dec 7.

Authors

Michelle Carr¹, Alexander Yoo², Donna Guardino³, Wyatte C Hall⁴, Scott McIntosh⁵, Wilfred R Pigeon⁶

Affiliations

¹ Department of Psychiatry, University of Rochester Medical Center, Rochester, New York, USA. Electronic address: mcarr4@u.rochester.edu.
² Department of Neurology, University of Rochester Medical Center, Rochester, New York, USA.
³ Department of Psychiatry, University of Rochester Medical Center, Rochester, New York, USA; Department of Obstetrics & Gynecology, University of Rochester Medical Center, Rochester, New York, USA.
⁴ Department of Neurology, University of Rochester Medical Center, Rochester, New York, USA; Department of Obstetrics & Gynecology, University of Rochester Medical Center, Rochester, New York, USA; Department of Public Health Sciences, University of Rochester Medical Center, Rochester, New York, USA; Departments of Pediatrics, University of Rochester Medical Center, Rochester, New York, USA; Center for Community Health and Prevention, University of Rochester Medical Center, Rochester, New York, USA.
⁵ Department of Public Health Sciences, University of Rochester Medical Center, Rochester, New York, USA; Center for Community Health and Prevention, University of Rochester Medical Center, Rochester, New York, USA.
⁶ Department of Psychiatry, University of Rochester Medical Center, Rochester, New York, USA; Department of Public Health Sciences, University of Rochester Medical Center, Rochester, New York, USA.

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.

Keywords: Deaf; Deaf wellness; Deafness; Health disparity; Insomnia; Sleep; Sleep health.

Publication types

Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural
Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

Adult
Cross-Sectional Studies
Humans
Polysomnography
Prospective Studies
Sleep
Sleep Initiation and Maintenance Disorders*

Abstract

Publication types

MeSH terms

Grants and funding