Stress, Coping, and Sleep Health Study

Background:

Poor sleep is common among refugee groups worldwide. It can lead to an increased risk of heart disease, diabetes, cancer, and premature death. It can also worsen mental health disorders. Researchers have studied the mental health issues among refugees from Bhutan in the United States. Now they want to understand more about how difficulty sleeping may relate to their other health outcomes.

Objective:

To learn how the social and environmental conditions Bhutanese refugees affect their sleep health and health outcomes.

Eligibility:

Refugees aged 18 years and older of Bhutanese-Nepali or Bhutanese American descent. The participants must live in central Ohio. Also needed are people aged 18 years and older who interact with Bhutanese refugees in this region.

Design:

Participants will participate in a focus group discussion. The group will have 8 to 10 participants. It will last 60 to 90 minutes.

They will talk about their experiences as a refugee and their sleep health. Topics may include adjusting to a new culture; access to housing and health care; and experiences with differential treatment by members inside and outside of their group. The study team will audio record the discussion. They will not share the recording with anyone.

Participants will complete a short questionnaire. They will answer questions about their age, sex, language preferences, and how long they have lived in the United States.

Participants who are not refugees will take part in a virtual interview led by a member of the study team. Participants will share their experiences with adapting to a new culture, differential treatment, and other factors have affected refugees sleep. The interview will take about 1 hour.