Association of long-term exposure to air pollution with chronic sleep deprivation in South Korea: A community-level longitudinal study, 2008-2018

Background and objective: Although there are many findings about the effects of fine particulate matter (PM2.5) and sleep deprivation on health respectively, the association between PM2.5 and chronic sleep deprivation has rarely been investigated. Thus, we aimed to investigate this association using a nationwide survey in South Korea. Method: We examined the association between long-term exposure to PM2.5 and chronic sleep deprivation using a national cross-sectional health survey covering the entire 226 districts in inland South Korea from 2008 to 2018, with a machine learning-based national air pollution prediction model with 1 km2 spatial resolution. Results: Chronic sleep deprivation was positively associated with PM2.5 in the total population (odds ratio (OR): 1.09, 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.05-1.13) and sub-population (low, middle, high population density areas with OR: 1.127, 1.09, and 1.059, respectively). The association was consistently observed in both sexes (males with OR: 1.09, females with OR: 1.09)) and was more pronounced in the elderly population (OR: 1.12) than in the middle-aged (OR: 1.07) and young (OR: 1.09) populations. Conclusions: Our results are consistent with the hypothesis regarding the relationship between long-term PM2.5 exposure and chronic sleep deprivation, and the study provides quantitative evidence for public health in-terventions to improve air quality that can affect chronic sleep conditions.

Automated summary

This study investigates the association between long-term exposure to PM2.5 and chronic sleep deprivation through a nationwide survey in South Korea. The findings show a positive correlation between long-term PM2.5 exposure and chronic sleep deprivation, with a stronger effect in the elderly population.