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Exploring the Intersection Between Immigration and Gender in the Context of Troubled Sleep: Some Evidence from Canada

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Abstract

This study explored the linkage between immigration status and troubled sleep among recent immigrants, established immigrants and native-born in Canada. In particular, it examined whether the role of immigration status on troubled sleep differs between females and males. Using the 2012 Canadian Community Health Survey-Mental Health, logistic regression models were fitted to examine the relationship between troubled sleep and immigration status among a weighted sample of 12,932,829 women and 12,424,195 men. Findings indicate that female recent (OR 0.42, p < 0.01) and established immigrants (OR 0.74, p < 0.05) report fewer troubled sleep than their native-born counterparts. However, only male established immigrants report fewer troubled sleep (OR 0.42, p < 0.05), as male recent immigrants did not significantly differ from their native-born counterparts (OR 0.70, p > 0.05). Moreover, male recent immigrants were more likely to report troubled sleep than their female counterparts (OR 1.30, p < 0.05). Based on these findings, we discussed the potential gendered mechanisms in which immigrants’ sleep is informed by social, cultural, and economic factors. We also provided several useful implications for policymakers.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Geography, The University of Western Ontario, London, ON, N6A 5C2, Canada

    Emmanuel Kyeremeh & Roger Antabe

  2. Department of Sociology, The University of Western Ontario, London, ON, N6A 5C2, Canada

    Yujiro Sano & Eugena Kwon

  3. Arthur Labatt Family School of Nursing, The University of Western Ontario, London, ON, N6A 5B9, Canada

    Bridget Osei Henewaah Annor

Authors
  1. Emmanuel Kyeremeh
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  2. Yujiro Sano
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  3. Roger Antabe
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  4. Eugena Kwon
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  5. Bridget Osei Henewaah Annor
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Correspondence to Emmanuel Kyeremeh.

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Kyeremeh, E., Sano, Y., Antabe, R. et al. Exploring the Intersection Between Immigration and Gender in the Context of Troubled Sleep: Some Evidence from Canada. J Immigrant Minority Health 23, 257–264 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10903-020-00975-x

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10903-020-00975-x

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