Eun-Ok Im, associate dean for research development and regulatory affairs; You Lee Yang, international visiting scholar, and Wonshik Chee, associate professor; recently published an article entitled "Sleep-related symptoms of midlife women with and without type 2 diabetes mellitus" in Menopause. Co-author include Jianghong Liu of the University of Pennsylvania School of Nursing.

Abstract

Objectives: The purpose of this study was to determine the associations between type 2 diabetes mellitus and sleep-related symptoms among midlife women from four major racial/ethnic groups in the United States.

Methods: The data from 164 participants of two larger Internet survey studies (62 women diagnosed with type 2 diabetes and 102 women without diabetes) were included. In the original studies, multiple instruments including the questions on background characteristics, health status, and menopause status and the Sleep Index for Midlife Women were used. The data were analyzed using χ2 tests, independent t tests, Mann–Whitney U tests, and hierarchical multiple regression analyses.

Results: The mean total number of sleep-related symptoms was significantly higher in those with type 2 diabetes (9.95 ± 5.83) than those without diabetes (7.25 ± 6.08) (t = 2.81, P = 0.006). The mean total severity score of sleep-related symptoms was also significantly higher in those with type 2 diabetes (33.42 ± 22.41) than those without diabetes (21.87 ± 21.40) (t = 3.29, P = 0.001). Among postmenopausal women and Asian women, there were significant differences in total numbers and total severity scores between those with type 2 diabetes and those without diabetes (all P < 0.05). When background characteristics, health status, and menopause status were controlled, having a diagnosis of type 2 diabetes was positively associated with total numbers (β=0.143, P = 0.047) and total severity scores (β=0.176, P = 0.014) of sleep-related symptoms.

Conclusions: This secondary analysis supported significant associations of type 2 diabetes to sleep-related symptoms of midlife women from four major racial/ethnic groups in the United States.