PROJECT SUMMARY
U.S. women of childbearing age (WOCBA: 18-49 years) have the highest death rates from pregnancy and
cardiometabolic abnormalities, more chronic conditions, and more unmet mental health care needs than
women in other high-income countries. Black and Hispanic women are at elevated risk for adverse pregnancy
outcomes, hypertension, and diabetes. Sleep health is an important determinant, and Black and Hispanic
WOCBA report short, irregular, and fragmented sleep, poor sleep quality. Although behavioral sleep
interventions may improve sleep and sleep-related outcomes, they are hampered by lack of a comprehensive
understanding of multi-dimensional aspects of sleep health and the interactive influences of multi-level
personal, behavioral, cognitive, social, and environmental factors. The purpose of this community engaged
(CEnR) mixed methods study is to obtain in-depth understanding of multi-dimensional aspects or phenotypes
of sleep health; the contributions of personal, behavioral, cognitive, social, and environmental factors to sleep
health; and whether sleep-related behaviors and cognitions moderate the influence of social and environmental
influences on sleep health among 300 Black and Hispanic WOCBA. The scientific premise is that cognition and
behaviors serve as risk or protective factors for sleep health in the context of social and environmental
influences. We will address the following specific aims: (SA1) Characterize sleep health phenotypes based on
sleep continuity, duration, timing, satisfaction, alertness, and sleep disorders indices; (SA2) Determine (a) the
effects of social and environmental factors on sleep health phenotypes; (b) associations between sleep
behaviors and cognitions and sleep health phenotypes; and (c) the extent to which sleep behaviors and
cognitions moderate the effects of social and environmental factors on sleep health phenotypes. We will use
moderator analyses to identify protective (positive), harmful (negative), or absent interaction effects between
social and environmental influences and cognitive and behavioral factors and sleep health, while considering
potential covariates. (e.g., age and health); (SA3) Use sequential explanatory mixed methods and semi-
structured qualitative interviews to integrate quantitative findings from aims 1 and 2 to gain a comprehensive
understanding of sleep health. We will compare themes across sleep phenotypes and ethnic groups to
evaluate concordance, complementarity, or divergence and used the merged information to identify potential
targets for behavioral sleep intervention. This application responds to recommendations for community
engaged approaches to sleep and the National Sleep and Circadian Biology Research Plan’s focus on health
disparities in sleep. Community engagement and mixed methods will ensure a comprehensive perspective,
including the voices of women and their communities and support recommendations for future culturally
relevant multi-level sleep health interventions targeted to identified risk and protective factors among multi-
ethnic Black and Hispanic WOCBA.