0939 Exposure to Neighborhood Violence and Sleep-Related Fears Predicts PTSD Symptoms Among Community-Dwelling Adults

Abstract Introduction Living in neighborhoods with high levels of stress can have a profound impact on an individual’s sleep quality and mental health. Both chronic insufficient sleep and posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) have been linked to a variety of adverse health outcomes. Data indicates that PTSD interferes with sleep in part due to its relationship with sleep-related fears. However, limited research has investigated the contribution of neighborhood stress and sleep-related fears experienced within an individual’s sleep environment. This study aimed to explore associations among exposure to neighborhood violence, sleep-related fears, and PTSD symptomatology. Methods Baseline data were obtained from participants who completed self-report measures as part of a larger study (N=45; Mean age=35.04 (SD=12.95); 62.2% Females). The Fear of Sleep Inventory (FoSI) assessed for past-month sleep-related fears within the sleep environment. The City Stress Inventory (CSI) assessed for exposure to neighborhood violence in the past year, and the PTSD-Checklist-5 (PCL-5) evaluated current PTSD symptom severity. A linear regression model identified the relationships between exposure to violence and sleep-related fears on PTSD symptoms. Results Data showed positive associations between exposure to neighborhood violence and sleep-related fears (r=.298, p=.047). There were also significant correlations between PTSD symptoms and violence exposure (r=.396, p=.007) and sleep-related fears (r=.613, p.001), respectively. A linear regression model indicated that exposure to violence and sleep-related fears were significant predictors of PTSD symptoms (R2=.426, p.001). Regression coefficients suggested that sleep-related fears (β=.543, p.001) were a stronger predictor of PTSD symptoms than exposure to violence (β=.234, p=.062). Conclusion There results indicate that living in an environment characterized by higher exposure to violence may lead to greater fear of going to sleep, likely due to perceived increases in vulnerability during sleep. The results, although cross-sectional, also suggest that greater fear of sleep is predictive of worse PTSD symptomatology. Based on study findings, sleep health screenings may be useful for those individuals experiencing trauma-related stress. Support (if any) This study was funded by a Center Grant from the National Institutes of General Medical Sciences (Grant # P20GM103653).