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Sleep health and quality of life in the Detroit Research on Cancer Survivors cohort

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Abstract

Purpose

Sleep disturbances represent a modifiable target to improve quality of life and longer-term outcomes in cancer survivors. However, the association between sleep health and overall quality of life in African American cancer survivors has been poorly assessed, a population at increased risk for morbidity and mortality.

Methods

Seven hundred and eighteen Detroit Research on Cancer Survivors (ROCS) cohort participants completed a supplemental sleep survey at the time of enrollment, which included the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI), Epworth Sleepiness Scale (ESS), and Insomnia Severity Index (ISI). Linear and logistic regression was used to evaluate the association between sleep and mental health, while block regression models were used to estimate the contribution of clustered factors to Health-Related Quality of Life (HRQOL).

Results

Nearly 60% of the cohort reported symptoms indicative of poor sleep quality on the PSQI, 15% reported excessive daytime sleepiness on the ESS, and 12% reported moderate to severe insomnia on the ISI. Survivors with elevated ISI scores reported FACT-G scores that were 17 points lower than those without symptoms of insomnia (95% CI: − 13.1, − 21.2). Poor sleep health accounted for the largest proportion of variability in FACT-G scores (R2 = 0.27) and change in R2 value (0.18) when compared to comorbidities, health behaviors, cancer-related factors, and demographics.

Conclusions

Overall sleep health was significantly associated with poorer HRQOL and variability in FACT-G scores. Additional studies investigating a causal relationship between sleep and HRQOL are needed to determine whether sleep quality could affect disparities in cancer outcomes.

Implications for cancer survivors.

Addressing sleep quality in cancer survivors may improve long-term health and HRQOL.

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Data availability

The data that support the findings of this study are available from the corresponding author upon reasonable request.

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Funding

This work was supported by the National Institutes of Health U01CA199240 and U01CA199240 (Supplement). JLM is supported by a VA HSR&D Research Career Scientist Award RCS 20–191 and NIH/NHLBI K24HL143055.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Karmanos Cancer Institute, Wayne State University School of Medicine, 4100 John R Mailcode: MM04EP, Detroit, MI, 48201, USA

    Matthew R. Trendowski, Julie J. Ruterbusch, Tara Baird, Jaclyn M. Kyko, Ann G. Schwartz, Grace E. Markey & Jennifer L. Beebe-Dimmer

  2. Geriatric Research Education and Clinical Center, VA Greater Los Angeles Healthcare System, Los Angeles, CA, USA

    Jennifer L. Martin

  3. Division of Pulmonary, Allergy, Critical Care and Sleep Medicine, Wayne State University School of Medicine, Detroit, MI, USA

    M. Safwan Badr

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  1. Matthew R. Trendowski
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Contributions

JLB, AGS, JLM, and MSB contributed to the study conception and design. Data collection was performed by JJR, TB, and JMK, while data analysis was performed by JJR, TB, JMK, MRT, and JLB. The first draft of the manuscript was written by MRT, JJR, and JLB. All authors contributed to revisions of the manuscript. All authors read and approved the final manuscript.

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Matthew R. Trendowski.

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The Wayne State University Institutional Review Board approved the procedures used in collecting and processing participant information, and informed consent was obtained from all subjects prior to participation.

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Trendowski, M.R., Ruterbusch, J.J., Baird, T. et al. Sleep health and quality of life in the Detroit Research on Cancer Survivors cohort. J Cancer Surviv (2024). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11764-024-01568-5

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