Gender Differences in Acculturative Stress and Habitual Sleep Duration in Korean American Immigrants

Abstract

Korean American immigrants (KAIs) face diverse sociocultural stressors in the acculturation process. While stress is known to cause short sleep, little is known about how acculturative stress affects sleep differently for KAI men and women. The purpose of this cross-sectional study was to examine gender differences in the association between diverse domains of acculturative stress and sleep duration among KAIs. Middle-aged KAIs were recruited in community settings and online. KAIs completed validated measures of acculturative stress (homesickness, social isolation, employment barriers, discrimination, civic disengagement, and family problems) and sleep duration. Multiple linear regression analysis was performed and stratified by gender. 343 KAIs participated (mean age = 41 +/- 10 years, 47% female, 11% short sleepers [< 6 h]). After adjustment for covariates, higher homesickness (beta = - 23.19, p < 0.05) and lower civic disengagement (beta = 17.75, p < 0.05) were associated with shorter sleep duration in women, while higher isolation was associated with shorter sleep duration in men (beta = - 13.73, p < 0.05). Discussion: Results suggest gender-specific associations between acculturative stress and sleep duration. Future research should take into account gender differences in the experience and effects of acculturative stress when developing interventions to improve sleep health in KAIs.