207 Socio-demographic Correlates of Poor Subjective Sleep Quality in a Large Cohort of Middle-aged Australian Women

Abstract

Aim: To determine the socio-demographic correlates of poor sleep quality in middle-aged Australian women.Methods: For this cross-sectional study data on 3692 mothers were taken from the Mater-University of Queensland Study of Pregnancy (MUSP) at 21 year follow-up, a large birth cohort study of mothers and children enrolled in Brisbane, Australia beginning in 1981. Subjective sleep quality was assessed with the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI). Candidate socio-demographic correlates of poor sleep quality including age, employment status, ethnicity, marital status, level of education, children residing at home, level ofengagement in social networks and housing tenure were assessed. Correlates associated with poor sleep quality were included in subsequent multivariate logistic regression analyses.Results: Unemployment, not living with a partner, lower level of education, non-house ownership, no children at home, poor social network and lower family income were found to be related to poorer sleep quality. After controlling for recent anxiety, depression and menopausal symptoms the association between these factors, excepting family income and poor sleep quality remained significant. Better sleep quality was associated with being employed, tertiary level of education, home ownership and good social networks.Conclusion: The association of low family income with poor sleep quality may possibly be mediated by anxiety.