Household and housing determinants of sleep duration during the COVID-19 pandemic: Results from the COHESION Study

Background

Public health measures in response to the COVID-19 pandemic forced individuals to spend more time at home. We sought to investigate the relationship between housing characteristics and sleep duration in the context of COVID-19.

Methods

Our exploratory study was part of the COvid-19: Health and Social Inequities across Neighborhoods (COHESION) Study Phase-1, a pan-Canadian population-based cohort involving nearly 1300 participants, launched in May 2020. Sociodemographic, household and housing characteristics (dwelling type, dissatisfaction, access to outdoor space, family composition, etc.), and self-reported sleep were prospectively collected through COHESION Study follow-ups. We explored the associations between housing and household characteristics and sleep duration using linear regressions, as well as testing for effect modification by income satisfaction and gender.

Results

Our study sample involved 624 COHESION Study participants aged 50 ± 16 years (mean ± SD), mainly women (78%), White (86%), and university graduates (64%). The average sleep duration was 7.8 (1.4) hours. Sleep duration was shorter according to the number of children in the household, income dissatisfaction, and type of dwelling in multivariable models. Sleep was short in those without access to a private outdoor space, or only having a balcony/terrace. In stratified analyses, sleep duration was associated with housing conditions dissatisfaction only in those dissatisfied with their income.

Conclusion

Our exploratory study highlights the relationship between housing quality and access to outdoor space, family composition and sleep duration in the context of COVID-19. Our findings also highlight the importance of housing characteristics as sources of observed differences in sleep duration.