Associations Between Sleep Duration and Receipt of Mental Health Care Before and After the COVID-19 Pandemic in the US: NHANES Data (2017-2023)
Poster #: 158
Session/Time: A
Author:
Amanda Lauren Banaag, MPH
Mentor:
Mariana Szklo-Coxe, PhD MHS
Research Type: Public Health
Abstract
INTRODUCTION:
Short and long sleep duration (SD) have been associated with mental health risks. During the COVID-19 pandemic, US adolescents and adults experienced changes in SD and an increased mental health burden. Due to pandemic-related social isolation measures, many experienced barriers to accessing healthcare services. This study aimed to determine the associations of SD to mental health care utilization and changes in utilization pre and post COVID-19.
METHODS:
This study utilized NHANES pre- and post-pandemic questionnaire data, 2017-March 2020 and August 2021-August 2023 from a nationally-representative sample of adolescents (ages 13-18) and adults (≥19 years) reporting SD weekdays or workdays, categorized as short, long, and recommended, using AASM's age-specific recommended hours nightly: 8-10 hours for adolescents 13-18; 7-9 hours for adults. Mental health care utilization was defined as receiving care from a mental health provider (last 12 months). Weighted chi-square and multiple logistic regressions assessed mental health care utilization odds by SD. Regressions for adolescent and adult populations adjusted for age, gender, race/ethnicity, health insurance status, and depression symptom presence (defined as PHQ-9 score of ≥4, with 'trouble sleeping' excluded from score calculations).
RESULTS:
This study utilized NHANES pre- and post-pandemic questionnaire data, 2017-March 2020 and August 2021-August 2023 from a nationally-representative sample of adolescents (ages 13-18) and adults (≥19 years) reporting SD weekdays or workdays, categorized as short, long, and recommended, using AASM's age-specific recommended hours nightly: 8-10 hours for adolescents 13-18; 7-9 hours for adults. Mental health care utilization was defined as receiving care from a mental health provider in the last 12 months. Weighted chi-square and multiple logistic regressions assessed mental health care utilization odds by SD. Regressions for adolescent and adult populations adjusted for age, gender, race/ethnicity, health insurance status, and depression symptom presence (defined as PHQ-9 score of ≥4, with 'trouble sleeping' excluded from score calculations).
CONCLUSION:
In adults, reporting long sleep was associated with a 1.7-fold significantly higher odds of receiving mental health care during pre-and post-pandemic periods. Findings regarding long sleep's relationship to increased mental health utilization extend the literature on adverse outcomes associated with long sleep to the health services utilization domain and warrant further investigation. Future analyses by these authors will assess the associations between social jetlag and receipt of mental health care.
Short and long sleep duration (SD) have been associated with mental health risks. During the COVID-19 pandemic, US adolescents and adults experienced changes in SD and an increased mental health burden. Due to pandemic-related social isolation measures, many experienced barriers to accessing healthcare services. This study aimed to determine the associations of SD to mental health care utilization and changes in utilization pre and post COVID-19.
METHODS:
This study utilized NHANES pre- and post-pandemic questionnaire data, 2017-March 2020 and August 2021-August 2023 from a nationally-representative sample of adolescents (ages 13-18) and adults (≥19 years) reporting SD weekdays or workdays, categorized as short, long, and recommended, using AASM's age-specific recommended hours nightly: 8-10 hours for adolescents 13-18; 7-9 hours for adults. Mental health care utilization was defined as receiving care from a mental health provider (last 12 months). Weighted chi-square and multiple logistic regressions assessed mental health care utilization odds by SD. Regressions for adolescent and adult populations adjusted for age, gender, race/ethnicity, health insurance status, and depression symptom presence (defined as PHQ-9 score of ≥4, with 'trouble sleeping' excluded from score calculations).
RESULTS:
This study utilized NHANES pre- and post-pandemic questionnaire data, 2017-March 2020 and August 2021-August 2023 from a nationally-representative sample of adolescents (ages 13-18) and adults (≥19 years) reporting SD weekdays or workdays, categorized as short, long, and recommended, using AASM's age-specific recommended hours nightly: 8-10 hours for adolescents 13-18; 7-9 hours for adults. Mental health care utilization was defined as receiving care from a mental health provider in the last 12 months. Weighted chi-square and multiple logistic regressions assessed mental health care utilization odds by SD. Regressions for adolescent and adult populations adjusted for age, gender, race/ethnicity, health insurance status, and depression symptom presence (defined as PHQ-9 score of ≥4, with 'trouble sleeping' excluded from score calculations).
CONCLUSION:
In adults, reporting long sleep was associated with a 1.7-fold significantly higher odds of receiving mental health care during pre-and post-pandemic periods. Findings regarding long sleep's relationship to increased mental health utilization extend the literature on adverse outcomes associated with long sleep to the health services utilization domain and warrant further investigation. Future analyses by these authors will assess the associations between social jetlag and receipt of mental health care.