Maternal Perceptions of Evidence-Based Early Childhood Sleep Health Promotion Recommendations: An Explanatory...

Area of Science:

• Child Health
• Sleep Science
• Public Health

Background:

• Early childhood sleep is crucial for development.
• Evidence-based sleep recommendations exist but caregiver understanding varies.
• Socioeconomic status may influence sleep health practices.

Purpose of the Study:

• To explore caregiver perceptions of early childhood sleep health promotion.
• To understand caregiver interest in evidence-based sleep recommendations.
• To identify factors influencing sleep health management in low-SES families.

Main Methods:

• Qualitative interviews with mothers of 1-5-year-old children.
• Purposive sampling of children with optimal and insufficient sleep.
• Grounded theory approach for data analysis.

Main Results:

• Mothers of optimal sleepers more frequently limited children's electronics access.
• No significant differences in other sleep health practices between groups.
• Maternal perspectives on sleep health were largely similar across groups.

Conclusions:

• Child sleep management is contextually influenced for low-SES families.
• Caregiver perceptions of sleep health recommendations are complex.
• Tailored sleep health education is needed for diverse communities.