# Determinants and Cardiovascular Consequences of Disparities in Sleep and Circadian Rhythms between Black and White Adults

> **NIH NIH R01** · NORTHWESTERN UNIVERSITY · 2020 · $2,225,878

## Abstract

Over one quarter of the adult population experiences sleep and circadian disturbances, characterized by
inadequate sleep duration, poor sleep quality, the presence of sleep disorders and non-optimal timing of sleep.
Non-white racial groups, Hispanic/Latinos and adults with fewer socioeconomic resources have a higher
burden of sleep and circadian disturbances than their counterparts. Limitations of these prior studies include
cross-sectional study designs, self-reported sleep, and incomplete assessment of sleep and circadian rhythms.
The objective of our study is to identify a set of modifiable factors that explain racial disparities in sleep and
circadian disturbances between black and white middle-aged adults. We will additionally test whether these
sleep and circadian disparities account for disparities in blood pressure control. Our overall hypothesis is that
black participants have a greater burden of adverse health behaviors, adiposity, psychological and social
stressors, and environmental insults at the neighborhood and household level that contribute to more sleep
and circadian disturbances as compared with whites. To accomplish our goal, we will conduct an ancillary
study in 2,500 adults (45% black and 60% women) aged 53-65 years old at the upcoming 35-year follow-up
examination of the Coronary Artery Risk Development in Young Adults (CARDIA) study. All participants will
undergo wrist actigraphy for 7 days, obstructive sleep apnea severity (OSA) determined using an in-home
screening device, and sleep behaviors, diagnoses of sleep disorders and sleep quality via questionnaire. In a
subset of 1,000 participants from the Chicago and Birmingham field centers, we will assess the neighborhood
and household environment using a combination of secondary sources (e.g., traffic data), questionnaires and
recording devices to capture household noise, light and temperature. We will combine these newly collected
data with the wealth of information that will be determined in the core CARDIA examination and that has been
collected in a standardized manner across 8 prior examinations. The Specific Aims of our study are as follows:
1) Determine the contribution of behavioral, psychosocial, and clinical characteristics over 35 years on racial
disparities in sleep and circadian disturbances in middle-age; 2) Identify environmental factors associated with
racial disparities in 7-day average and intra-individual variability (day-to-day changes) in sleep duration and
quality; and, 3) Quantify the contribution of sleep and circadian disturbances on racial disparities in blood
pressure levels in the estimated 60% of participants with hypertension. We will additionally explore whether
sex as a biological variable modifies the hypothesized associations across all Aims. Our proposed study is a
timely acknowledgement of the significance of sleep to racial disparities in cardiovascular health. We
anticipate that our findings will have a sustained impact on a broad set ...

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 9976782
- **Project number:** 1R01HL152442-01
- **Recipient organization:** NORTHWESTERN UNIVERSITY
- **Principal Investigator:** Mercedes Renee Carnethon
- **Activity code:** R01 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2020
- **Award amount:** $2,225,878
- **Award type:** 1
- **Project period:** 2020-07-15 → 2024-06-30

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/9976782

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 9976782, Determinants and Cardiovascular Consequences of Disparities in Sleep and Circadian Rhythms between Black and White Adults (1R01HL152442-01). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-24 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/9976782. Licensed CC0.

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