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Sleep difficulties and the development of depression and anxiety: a longitudinal study of young Australian women

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Abstract

Previous longitudinal studies have demonstrated that poor sleep may precede depression and anxiety. The current study examined the association between self-reported sleeping difficulties and new onset depression and anxiety in young women. A nationally representative sample of 9,683 young women from the Australian Longitudinal Study of Women’s Health was analyzed. Women were surveyed in 2000 (aged 22 to 25 years), 2003, 2006, and 2009. Generalized estimating equations were used to examine the association between sleeping difficulties in 2000 and new-onset depression (excluding postnatal depression) and anxiety at each subsequent survey. Significant increased risk of new onset depression (odds ratio (OR) = 2.6 in 2003; OR = 4.4 in 2006; OR = 4.4 in 2009) and anxiety (OR = 2.4 in 2006; OR = 2.9 in 2009) was found at each follow-up survey in women who reported sleeping difficulties “often” in 2000. Further research is needed to uncover the mechanisms underlying the link between sleep problems and mental health.

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Acknowledgement

Dr. Jackson is funded by an Australian National Health and Medical Research Council Fellowship.

Conflict of interest

Dr. Jackson, Professor Byles, and Professor Bruck declare that they have no conflicts of interest. Dr. Diamond and Dr. Sztendur are the Directors of ESQANT Statistical Computing.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Psychology Discipline, College of Arts, Victoria University, Melbourne, Australia

    Melinda L. Jackson & Dorothy Bruck

  2. Melbourne School of Psychological Sciences, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, Melbourne, Victoria, 3010, Australia

    Melinda L. Jackson

  3. ESQUANT Statistical Consulting, Melbourne, Australia

    Ewa M. Sztendur & Neil T. Diamond

  4. Research Centre for Gender, Health and Ageing, University of Newcastle, Newcastle, Australia

    Julie E. Byles

Authors
  1. Melinda L. Jackson
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  2. Ewa M. Sztendur
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  5. Dorothy Bruck
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Correspondence to Melinda L. Jackson.

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Jackson, M.L., Sztendur, E.M., Diamond, N.T. et al. Sleep difficulties and the development of depression and anxiety: a longitudinal study of young Australian women. Arch Womens Ment Health 17, 189–198 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00737-014-0417-8

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00737-014-0417-8

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