Browsing by Author "Fischer, Alexandra R."
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Item Social-ecological considerations for the sleep health of rural mothers(Springer, 2021) Fischer, Alexandra R.; Green, Sha-Rhonda M.; Gunn, Heather E.; University of Alabama TuscaloosaUsing a social-ecological framework, we identify social determinants that interact to influence sleep health, identify gaps in the literature, and make recommendations for targeting sleep health in rural mothers. Rural mothers experience unique challenges and protective factors in maintaining adequate sleep health during the postpartum and early maternal years. Geographic isolation, barriers to comprehensive behavioral medicine services, and intra-rural ethno-racial disparities are discussed at the societal (e.g., public policy), social (e.g., community) and individual levels (e.g., stress) of the social-ecological model. Research on sleep health would benefit from attention to methodological considerations of factors affecting rural mothers such as including parity in population-level analyses or applying community-based participatory research principles. Future sleep health programs would benefit from using existing social support networks to disseminate sleep health information, integrating behavioral health services into clinical care frameworks, and tailoring culturally-appropriate Telehealth/mHealth programs to enhance the sleep health of rural mothers.Item Socio-Ecological Context of Sleep: Gender Differences and Couples' Relationships as Exemplars(Springer, 2022) Decker, Andrea N.; Fischer, Alexandra R.; Gunn, Heather E.; University of Alabama TuscaloosaPurpose of Review We summarized recent findings on insufficient sleep and insomnia, two prominent sleep issues that impact public health. We demonstrate the socio-ecologial impact of sleep health with findings on gender and couples' relationships as exemplars. Recent Findings Robust gender differences in sleep duration and insomnia are due to biological and socio-ecological factors. Gender differences in insufficient sleep vary by country of origin and age whereas gender differences in insomnia reflect minoritized identities (e.g., sexual, gender). Co-sleeping with a partner is associated with longer sleep and more awakenings. Gender differences and couples' sleep were affected by intersecting social and societal influences, which supports a socio-ecological approach to sleep. Recent and seminal contributions to sleep health highlight the importance of observing individual sleep outcomes in a socio-ecological context. Novel methodology, such as global measures of sleep health, can inform efforts to improve sleep and, ultimately, public health.