by Academic Minute 05/10/2022 | 12:01
Many parents become aware of their child’s changing sleep patterns during early adolescence: they resist bedtime and stay up later; they struggle to wake up for school; and they are sleepy, tired, and irritable in the daytime. We have identified a “perfect storm” of biological, psychological, and societal factors that contribute to these changes.
Diana S. Grigsby-Toussaint, Jong Cheol Shin
Abstract:
Introduction
Mask-wearing and social distancing are critical prevention measures that have been implemented to stem the spread of COVID-19. The degree to which these measures are adhered to in the US, however, may be influenced by access to outdoor resources such as green space, as well as mask mandates that may vary by state.
Purpose
To examine the association between the presence or absence of statewide mask mandates and green space exposure with COVID-19 cumulative incidence in the US.
Methods
In October 2020, COVID-19 case data for each US county was downloaded from USA Facts, in addition to statewide mask mandates from a database maintained by the American Association of Retired Persons. The Normalized Difference Vegetation Index from the US Geological Survey (USGS), was used as a measure of greenspace, while the 2016 National Land Cover Database was used to assess tree canopy exposure as an alternative measure of greenspace. We performed generalized linear regression to evaluate associations with COVID-19 incidence, adjusting for potential confounders such as other environmental factors (i.e., air pollution and climate) and socio-economic factors derived from the CDC social vulnerability index. In addition, we also performed spatial regression analyses to account for spatial autocorrelation across counties.
Results
Counties with mandatory mask-wearing policies had a lower cumulative incidence of COVID-19 (B = −0.299, SE = 0.038). Among environmental factors, precipitation (B = 0.005, SE = 0.001) and PM 2.5 (B = 0.072, SE = 0.012) were associated with a higher incidence of COVID-19, while tree canopy (B = −0.501, SE = 0.129) was associated with a lower risk of COVID-19. COVID-19 incidence was higher in counties with socially vulnerable populations regarding socioeconomic status, minority status, and housing and transportation.
Conclusion
Mandatory mask regulation, exposure to green space, and reduced exposure to air pollution may reduce COVID-19 incidence in the US. Additional public health policies should consider ways to mitigate environmental conditions that may contribute to the risk of COVID-19, especially for vulnerable populations.
Abstract:
Study Objectives
The objectives of this study were to examine the relationships between sleep regularity and nonsuicidal self-injury (NSSI), including lifetime NSSI history and daily NSSI urges.
Undergraduate students (N = 119; 18–26 years), approximately half of whom endorsed a lifetime history of repetitive NSSI, completed a 10-day actigraphy and ecological momentary assessment (EMA) protocol. A Sleep Regularity Index was calculated for all participants using scored epoch by epoch data to capture rapid changes in sleep schedules. Participants responded to EMA prompts assessing NSSI urge severity and negative affect three times daily over the 10-day assessment period.
Results indicate that individuals with a repetitive NSSI history were more likely to experience sleep irregularity than those without a history of NSSI. Findings also suggest that sleep irregularity was associated with more intense urges to engage in NSSI on a daily basis, even after accounting for average daily sleep duration, sleep timing, negative affect, and NSSI history. Neither sleep duration nor sleep timing was associated with NSSI history nor daily NSSI urge intensity.
Findings suggest that sleep irregularity is linked with NSSI, including NSSI history and intensity of urges to engage in NSSI. The present study not only supports the growing evidence linking sleep disturbance with the risk for self-injury but also demonstrates this relationship using actigraphy and real-time assessments of NSSI urge severity. Findings highlight the importance of delineating the nuances in sleep irregularity that are proximally associated with NSSI risk and identifying targets for intervention.