SLEEP DISTURBANCES IN RETURNING VETERANS THAT ARE HOMELESS AND COMBAT-EXPOSED

Abstract Introduction Challenges with sleep (i.e., nightmares and insomnia) impact military service members both during and following deployment, but may occur more frequently in combat-exposed individuals. In addition, among the challenges faced following the transition from active duty to Veteran status are periods of homelessness, which may further contribute to sleep disturbances. Methods The present analyses utilized data from the Survey of Experiences of Returning Veterans, a national survey of recently returning combat Veterans focused on the examination of sex differences following exposure to traumatic events. The sample (n = 793) consisted of 58% males; females were oversampled and all branches were represented. Ordinal and multiple linear regressions were used to investigate the role of combat exposure and homelessness in predicting nightmare distress and insomnia severity. Results An ordinal regression found that combat exposure (b = -.02, p <0.001), homelessness (b = -.31, p = 0.010), and insomnia severity (b = -.10, p <0.001) each significantly predicted nightmare distress. These variables increased risk (SAS parameterizes these models so that negative coefficients are associated with increased risk). Demographic variables were not significantly related to nightmare distress. Similarly, combat exposure (β = .100, p = .002) was associated with insomnia severity, as was nightmare distress (β = .522, p < .001). The moderational role of gender and homeless in the above models are also tested. Conclusion For those who have been combat exposed, have a history of homelessness, and report insomnia symptoms there is an increased odds of reporting nightmare distress, sleep disturbance is even more likely to occur. Although combat exposure and nightmare distress were predictive of insomnia severity, history of homelessness was not. These findings suggest that nightmare distress and insomnia symptoms are a significant concern in our returning combat-exposed Veterans, with nightmares being even more problematic for those at risk of homelessness. Support This study was funded by VHA CSR&D grant ZDA-01. Dr. Speed is supported, in part, by the VA Advanced Fellowship Program in Mental Health Illness Research and Treatment, the VISN 2 Center of Excellence for Suicide Prevention at the Canandaigua VAMC.