Sleep and health disparities: how sleep shapes outcomes from adolescence into young adulthood
Official title: Sleep as a Mechanism and Moderator in the Development of Health Disparities
Funded at Auburn University at Auburn · NIH-11309151 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This project follows teens and young adults in Alabama to see how sleep problems relate to health, stress, and wellbeing over several years, especially across different socioeconomic backgrounds.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Auburn University at Auburn NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Auburn, UNITED STATES) |
| Project start | September 1, 2017 |
| Project end | January 31, 2027 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $730,070 |
| NIH project number | 5R01HL136752-08 |
| Project ID | NIH-11309151 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Adolescents and young adults aged roughly 9 to mid-20s living in or near semi-rural Alabama, with attention to SES and demographic diversity.
✕Less likely to help
Individuals without sleep disturbances or without nearby access to health resources may see limited direct benefit.
What this research studies
Researchers will track a diverse group of youths aged roughly 9 to 19 and follow them into their early twenties to understand how sleep loss affects mental and physical health and stress responses. The study builds on existing data and adds two more waves of data collection to examine long-term patterns and mechanisms, with a focus on socioeconomic factors. By analyzing sleep habits, health outcomes, and stress biology, the project aims to uncover why some youth experience worse trajectories and how SES may shape those paths. The setting is semi-rural Alabama, with attention to representation of Black participants and families facing adversity.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, findings could inform targeted strategies to improve sleep and mitigate health disparities among youth.
How similar studies have gone: Previous research has linked sleep problems to poorer health and functioning, and this study extends those findings with a long-term, socioeconomically diverse design.
Where this research is happening
-
Auburn University at Auburn
Auburn, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: El-Sheikh, Mona M — Auburn University at Auburn
- Study coordinator: El-Sheikh, Mona M
About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page.