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A comparison of sleeping problems in school-age children between rural and urban communities in China
Qiao-Zhi Yang1, Yue-Qing Bu, Sheng-Ying Dong
1Liaocheng People's Hospital and Liaocheng Clinical School of Taishan Medical University, Liaocheng, Shandong, China.
Insights
Chinese urban children experience more sleep problems than rural children. Factors like parental habits and education significantly impact children's sleep behavior and overall sleep quality.
Area of Science:
- Pediatrics
- Sleep Medicine
- Public Health
Background:
- Sleep is crucial for school-aged children's development and well-being.
- Disparities in sleep patterns may exist between urban and rural populations due to lifestyle and environmental differences.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate and compare the sleeping behaviors and problems of school-aged children in urban versus rural Chinese communities.
Main Methods:
- A cross-sectional study involving 472 rural and 576 urban children aged 6-12 years.
- Parents completed a sleep habits questionnaire to assess children's sleep patterns and problems.
Main Results:
- Urban children slept less and had higher rates of abnormal sleep behavior (82.8% vs. 70.1%) compared to rural children.
- Urban 6-8 year olds had more sleep delays (60.3% vs. 40.3%), while urban 9-12 year olds reported more daytime sleepiness (52.6% vs. 26.8%).
- Parental factors (age, sleep habits, education) and residence location predicted children's sleep problems.
Conclusions:
- Urban Chinese children face greater sleep challenges than their rural counterparts.
- Parental sleep habits, education, and geographic location are significant determinants of children's sleep behavior.
Aim:
To investigate differences in sleeping behaviours in school-age children between urban and rural Chinese communities.
Methods:
Children aged between 6 and 12 years old were selected from rural (n= 472) and urban communities (n= 576). Children's sleep habits questionnaire was completed by the parents to assess sleep patterns and sleep problems of the children.
Results:
In the 6-8 and 9-12 years groups, the average sleep time in urban children was shorter than in the children from rural areas (9.0 +/- 1.1 vs. 11.3 +/- 1.1 h, and 9.2 +/- 1.0 vs. 10.2 +/- 0.9 h, respectively, all P < 0.01). The rate of abnormal sleep behaviour in the urban and rural cohort was 82.8 and 70.1%, respectively (P < 0.05). The prevalence of sleep delays in the 6- to 8-year-old children from urban areas was higher than in the rural areas (60.3 vs. 40.3%, P < 0.01). In the urban 9-12 years group, the rate of day-time sleepiness was higher than in the rural group (52.6 vs. 26.8%, P < 0.01), whereas the night waking rate was lower (43.8 vs. 58.6%, P < 0.01). Multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that the location of the residence, mother's age, parent's sleep habits and education levels predict the sleeping problems in these children.
Conclusion:
Children from urban communities appear to have sleeping problems than children from a rural setting. A parent's sleep habits, education levels and the location of children's residence have significant impact on the children's sleep behaviour and habits.
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