IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/eee/socmed/v79y2013icp57-65.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Unique sleep disorders profile of a population-based sample of 747 Hmong immigrants in Wisconsin

Author

Listed:
  • Young, Eric
  • Xiong, Se
  • Finn, Laurel
  • Young, Terry

Abstract

Concerns regarding sleep disorders in Hmong immigrants in the US emerged when an astonishingly high mortality rate of Sudden Unexplained Nocturnal Death Syndrome (SUNDS) was documented in Hmong men. Stress, genetics, and cardiac abnormalities interacting with disordered sleep were hypothesized as contributing factors to SUNDS. Most recently, sleep apnea has been implicated in nighttime deaths of Brugada Syndrome. This syndrome is thought to comprise a spectrum of sudden cardiac death disorders, including SUNDS. However, little research since has placed SUNDS in its context of Hmong cultural beliefs, health, or the prevalence of other sleep disorders. Because the epidemiology of sleep disorders and terrifying nighttime experiences in Hmong is poorly documented, we investigated the prevalence and correlates of sleep apnea, rapid eye movement (REM) sleep stage related disorders, and insomnia in 3 population-based samples (collected from 1996 to 2001) comprising 747 Hmong immigrants in Wisconsin. Participants were questioned on sleep problems, cultural beliefs, health, and other factors. A random subsample (n = 37) underwent in-home polysomnography to investigate sleep apnea prevalence. Self-report and laboratory findings were compared with similarly collected data from the Wisconsin Sleep Cohort (WSC) study (n = 1170), a population-based longitudinal study of sleep. The results inform a unique Hmong sleep disorder profile of a high prevalence of sleep apnea, sleep paralysis, and other REM-related sleep abnormalities as well the interaction of culturally related nighttime stressors with these sleep problems. For example, experiences of dab tsog (frightening night spirit pressing on chest) was prevalent and related to sleep apnea indicators, sleep paralysis, nightmares, hypnogogic hallucinations, and insomnia. Understanding the role of sleep disorders and the cultural mechanisms that may trigger or condition response to them could ultimately provide a basis for screening and intervention to reduce the adverse health and emotional consequences of these conditions in Hmong.

Suggested Citation

  • Young, Eric & Xiong, Se & Finn, Laurel & Young, Terry, 2013. "Unique sleep disorders profile of a population-based sample of 747 Hmong immigrants in Wisconsin," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 79(C), pages 57-65.
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:socmed:v:79:y:2013:i:c:p:57-65
    DOI: 10.1016/j.socscimed.2012.06.009
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S027795361200487X
    Download Restriction: Full text for ScienceDirect subscribers only
    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1016/j.socscimed.2012.06.009?utm_source=ideas
    LibKey link: if access is restricted and if your library uses this service, LibKey will redirect you to where you can use your library subscription to access this item
    ---><---

    As the access to this document is restricted, you may want to search for a different version of it.

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Henry, Doug & Rosenthal, Leon, 2013. "“Listening for his breath:” The significance of gender and partner reporting on the diagnosis, management, and treatment of obstructive sleep apnea," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 79(C), pages 48-56.
    2. Adler, Shelley R., 1995. "Refugee stress and folk belief: Hmong sudden deaths," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 40(12), pages 1623-1629, June.
    3. Munger, R.G., 1987. "Sudden death in sleep of Laotian-Hmong refugees in Thailand: A case-control study," American Journal of Public Health, American Public Health Association, vol. 77(9), pages 1187-1190.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.

      Corrections

      All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:eee:socmed:v:79:y:2013:i:c:p:57-65. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

      If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

      If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

      If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

      For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: Catherine Liu (email available below). General contact details of provider: http://www.elsevier.com/wps/find/journaldescription.cws_home/315/description#description .

      Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

      IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.