Sleep Latency and Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder Among Retired Career Florida Firefighters: Evidence From the Advancing Epidemiology of Retired Firefighters Aging Longitudinally Cohort

Abstract

Objective: Our objective was to estimate the association of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and sleep latency among retired firefighters.

Methods: Baseline health survey data collected from retried career Florida firefighters participating in an ongoing prospective cohort study from 2017 to 2021 were analyzed. Risk for PTSD was assessed using a four-item primary care PTSD screening construct, and sleep onset latency was assessed by self-reported length of time to fall asleep.

Results: Among the 500 participants, 8.0% screened positive for PTSD risk and 37.6% had prolonged sleep onset latency (≥20 minutes to fall asleep). Retired firefighters with PTSD risk were 2.7 times more likely (adjusted odds ratio, 2.70; 95% confidence interval, 1.27-5.75) to have prolonged sleep latency compared with those without PTSD risk while controlling for covariates.

Conclusions: Retired firefighters who screen positive for PTSD risk are three times more likely to report delayed sleep onset latency.