Inequalities in emerging adult college students' sleep quality during the COVID-19 pandemic.

ABSTRACT

OBJECTIVE: To examine inequalities in sleep quality during the COVID-19 pandemic by gender, sexual orientation, race/ethnicity, and socioeconomic position (SEP), and test associations between discrimination and sleep quality in a national longitudinal cohort of emerging adult college students. PARTICIPANTS: Participants were enrolled in college full-time and were aged 18-22 at baseline. METHODS: Participants completed online surveys in spring 2020 (N = 707) and summer 2021 (n = 313). Measures included the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) and the Everyday Discrimination Scale. RESULTS: Most students reported poor sleep quality (78% in 2020; 82% in 2021) and those from marginalized groups generally experienced worse sleep quality. Discrimination was associated with poorer concurrent sleep quality at both time points. CONCLUSIONS: Sleep inequalities among college students continued to manifest during the pandemic, even when students were not necessarily on campus. Colleges should take a multi-pronged approach to promote sleep quality through individual, community, and institutional interventions.