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To determine the association between sleep duration and depressive symptoms in a rural setting.

Methods

We conducted a cross-sectional study using data from Wave 3 of the Walk the Ozarks to Wellness Project including 12 rural communities in Missouri, Arkansas, and Tennessee (N = 1,204). Sleep duration was defined based on average weeknight and weekend hours per day: short (< 7), optimal (7-8), and long (> 8). The primary outcome was self-reported elevated depressive symptoms. Multivariable logistic regression was used to estimate adjusted prevalence odds ratios (aPOR) and 95% confidence intervals (95% CI).

Findings

Elevated depressive symptoms were common in this rural population (17%). Depressive symptoms were more prevalent among subjects with short (26.1%) and long (24%) sleep duration compared to those with optimal (11.8%) sleep duration. After adjusting for age, gender, race, education, employment status, income, and BMI, short sleep duration was associated with increased odds of elevated depressive symptoms (aPOR=2.12, 95% CI: 1.49, 3.01), compared to optimal sleep duration. Conversely, the association between long sleep duration and depressive symptoms was not statistically significant after covariate adjustment. Similar findings were observed when we excluded individuals with insomnia symptoms for analysis.

Conclusions

This study suggests that short sleep duration (<7 hours per night) and depressive symptoms are common among rural populations. Short sleep duration is positively associated with elevated depressive symptoms. The economic and healthcare burden of depression may be more overwhelming among rural populations, necessitating the need to target modifiable behaviors such as sleep habits to improve mental health.

Purpose : The purpose of this study is to examine whether physical activity is associated with less insomnia symptoms in the rural communities. : Methods : This study used cross-sectional data collected from a 2005 telephone survey for evaluation of ...

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (U.S.). Public Health Surveillance Program Office; National Center for Health Statistics (U.S.); National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion (U.S.); National Center for HIV/AIDS, Viral Hepatitis, STD, and TB Prevention (U.S.);

Published:

September 2, 2011

Series:

MMWR. Morbidity and mortality weekly report ; v. 60, suppl.

Description:

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