Exploring the Relationship Between Sleep Disturbance, Psychosocial Stress, Socioeconomic Status on Self-Perceived Mental Health Among Aging Adults in the United States

Previous studies have demonstrated associations between sleep disturbance, psychosocial stress, socioeconomic status (SES), and access to healthcare, but few have examined these variables together in a single, integrative analysis. While much of the existing literature focuses on individual predictors of mental health, this study stands out by creating latent constructs via exploratory factor analysis, quantifying each factor’s relative contribution to SRMH in a single model, and using large-scale U.S. data specifically among older adults. This study investigates how patterns of sleep disturbance, stress, income, and health coverage relate to SRMH among aging adults in the United States. Using data from 2,131 respondents in the National Poll on Healthy Aging (NPHA), we conducted factor analysis to identify latent variable clusters and used multiple regression to examine their influence on SRMH. My findings indicate that sleep disturbance is the most influential predictor, followed by psychosocial stress and SES, while age and gender were not significant contributors. These results suggest that lifestyle and behavioral factors outweigh demographic variables in predicting SRMH. Public health efforts aimed at improving sleep hygiene, managing stress, and reducing financial strain may offer the most direct pathway to improving mental well-being in older adult populations.