Association between housing quality and individual health characteristics on sleep quality among Latino farmworkers
Author: Sandberg, J.
Date Published: 2014
Abstract
Although poor sleep quality and associated
sleep disorders are associated with increased risk of job
injury and multiple mental and physical health problems,
scant research has examined sleep quality among Latino
farmworkers. Interviews were conducted with 371 male
Latino farmworkers working in North Carolina during the
2010 agricultural season. Data on housing quality and sleep
quality were collected. Access to air conditioning was
signi?cantly and positively associated with good sleep
quality. This association remained when other housing
characteristics and individual health indicators were
controlled. Good sleep quality was associated with low
levels of pain, depression, and anxiety. Poor sleep quality
among Latino farmworkers was associated with poorer
indicators of health. One important indicator of housing
quality, air conditioning, was associated with better sleep
quality. Further research is required to delineate how to
improve the adequacy of farmworker housing to improve
sleep quality and other health indicators.