The association between neighborhood social cohesion and poor sleep health in Latinxs: Exploration of moderation by nativity status and English language proficiency.

Abstract

Objectives: Neighborhood social cohesion has been linked to sleep health in the United States, but the association remains understudied among Latinxs. There is evidence that Latinxs may experience neighborhood social cohesion differentially based on nativity status and English language proficiency. We investigated the moderating role of nativity status and English language proficiency on the relationship between neighborhood social cohesion and two sleep outcomes: insomnia symptoms and sleep quality.

Methods: Using cross-sectional data from 201 healthy Latinx adults from the Latino Sleep and Health Study, two sets of regression models were run. We regressed neighborhood social cohesion on insomnia (Insomnia Severity Index) and sleep quality (The Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index). Interaction terms-nativity status x neighborhood social cohesion and English language proficiency x neighborhood social cohesion-were added with sociodemographic covariates in two separate sets of models.

Results: Participants were 64.68% female with a Mean age of 37.89 (SD = 14.01), and 33.83% completed less than a bachelor's degree. In the minimally adjusted model for sleep quality, the interaction term (neighborhood social cohesion x nativity status) was statistically significant (p=.04). Among US-born, in the fully adjusted model, neighborhood social cohesion was negatively statistically significantly associated poor sleep quality (B = -0.09, 95%CI = -0.15, -0.02; p<.01). Neighborhood social cohesion was not statistically significantly associated with insomnia symptoms. English language proficiency had no statistically significant interaction effect in any models.

Conclusions: The association between neighborhood social cohesion and sleep health differs by nativity status, but not by English language proficiency. These results suggest that neighborhood social cohesion may facilitate better sleep differently based on the acculturation marker. Future research should explore within-group differences in protective effects of neighborhood social cohesion on sleep health.