The effect of socioeconomic status on optimal sleep and self-reported health status

Thesis (M.A., Sociology)--California State University, Sacramento, 2013.Prior research affirms that social determinants, particularly socioeconomic status (SES) play a vital role in determining the health of individuals. While many studies show that lower SES relates to lower levels of health, few discuss the role of sleep in relation to SES and health. Particular interest in sleep has emerged in response to changing work patterns, the economy and sleep related illness. This study looks to assess the role of SES in relation to sleep quantity and the role of sleep quantity in relation to health. Data from the 2011 National Health Interview Survey (NHIS) were used for analysis in this study. The NHIS data is collected by the U.S. Census Bureau and used by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) track and analyze health data in the U.S. While the demographic data showed that the majority of respondents get optimal amounts of sleep and have good health, logistic regression analysis of the 2011 NHIS data reveals that specific characteristics are predictive of optimal sleep for adults including education, gender, race, marital status, and employment. Multiple regression analysis shows that both SES and optimal sleep are significant factors in determining self-reported health status. In addition, age, marriage, employment, and race are significant factors in determining self-reported health status.Sociolog