Submission ID 117163
| Issue/Objective | Globally, insomnia and sleep deprivation affect about a third of adults worldwide. This has been attributed mostly to stress, anxiety, depression, and physical illness. However, few studies have examined the effect of household food insecurity on insomnia and sleep deprivation among people living with HIV/AIDS (PLHIV). Additionally, fewer studies have examined the mediation effect of anxiety on the relationship between food insecurity and sleep disorders. Therefore, this study aimed to investigate the relationship between food insecurity (FI), anxiety symptomatology, and sleep disorder. |
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| Methodology/Approach | Data for this study were drawn from the Resource Insecurity, Health, and Sustainable Livelihoods Study focused on PLHIV in Kenya (N=1,132). The data collected included measures on household food insecurity, mental health conditions such as stress and generalized anxiety disorder, sleep disorder (insomnia and acute sleep deprivation), and sociodemographic factors. Following descriptive and bivariate analysis, linear and complementary log-log logistic regressions were used to assess food insecurity's direct and indirect effects on insomnia and acute sleep deprivation, respectively, in the multivariate models. |
| Results | Of the 1,132 PLHIV, about 36% reported some degree of insomnia, and 17.8% reported acute sleep deprivation. At the bivariate level, food insecurity was significantly associated with insomnia, acute sleep deprivation, and anxiety symptomatology. Also, anxiety was a significant predictor of insomnia and acute sleep deprivation. In the multivariate models, food insecurity had a significantly direct effect on insomnia (=0.15, 95%CI: 0.11,0.18) and anxiety symptomatology (=0.07, 95%CI: 0.04,0.13). Anxiety significantly predicted insomnia (=0.12, 95CI%: 0.09,0.14). Adjusting for both anxiety and food insecurity in the same model, partial mediation was observed. Identical results were found for the effect of food insecurity on acute sleep deprivation. |
| Discussion/Conclusion | The findings from this study suggest that PLHIV suffering from food insecurity and anxiety may be at risk of insomnia and acute sleep deprivation. Future interventions for PLHIV experiencing food insecurity should consider the role of anxiety in influencing insomnia and acute sleep deprivation. |
| Presenters and affiliations | Godfred O. Boateng York University Mavis Odei Boateng York University Patrick M. Owuor Wayne State University Ellis Adjei Adams University of Notre Dame |
