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Published on: August 8, 2019
Behavioral and sociodemographic correlates of sleep duration among children in Samoa
Tayla von Ash1, Courtney C Choy2, Shira Dunsiger1
1Department of Behavioral and Social Sciences, Center for Health Promotion and Health Equity, School of Public Health, Brown University, Providence, Rhode Island, USA.
Insights
This study found that sleep duration in Samoan children varied by age, with some factors like household income and physical activity influencing sleep. Further research is needed to understand culturally specific risks for insufficient sleep.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric Sleep Medicine
- Global Child Health
- Sociology of Sleep
Background:
- Adequate sleep is crucial for child development and well-being.
- Understanding sleep patterns and their correlates in diverse populations is essential for targeted interventions.
- Samoan children represent a unique cultural context for examining sleep behaviors.
Purpose of the Study:
- To characterize sleep duration and adherence to sleep recommendations among Samoan children aged 2-9 years.
- To identify behavioral and sociodemographic factors associated with sleep duration in this population.
- To provide data for future interventions promoting healthy sleep habits in Samoa.
Main Methods:
- A longitudinal cohort study involving 481 Samoan children (50% female) aged 2-9 years.
- Primary caregivers reported children's nighttime sleep duration across multiple data collection waves (2015, 2017/2018, 2019/2020).
- Generalized linear and mixed effect regressions were used to assess associations between sleep duration and various correlates.
Main Results:
- Average nighttime sleep duration ranged from 9.4 to 9.7 hours across age groups (toddlers, preschoolers, school-aged children).
- 58% of children met recommended sleep durations.
- Lower household income was linked to longer sleep in younger children, while higher physical activity correlated with longer sleep in older children. Caregiver education level and dietary patterns also showed associations with sleep duration.
Conclusions:
- Efforts are needed to promote adequate sleep among Samoan children.
- Identified correlates of sleep duration align with existing literature but highlight the need for culturally specific research.
- Future studies should investigate culturally relevant risk factors and the health consequences of insufficient sleep in Samoa.
Objectives:
To describe sleep duration, adherence to sleep recommendations, and behavioral and sociodemographic correlates of sleep among Samoan children.
Methods:
In a longitudinal cohort study of Samoan children aged 2-9years (n = 481; 50% female), primary caregivers reported usual number of hours of nighttime sleep during 2015, 2017/2018, and 2019/2020 data collection waves. Associations between behavioral and sociodemographic characteristics and sleep duration were assessed using generalized linear and mixed effect regressions.
Results:
Average reported hours of nighttime sleep for toddlers (age 2) was 9.7 ± 1.1 (SD); for preschoolers (age 3-5) 9.5 ± 1.0, and for school-age children (age 6-9) 9.4 ± 1.3, with 58% of children meeting sleep recommendations. Living in a lower income household was associated with 30 more minutes of sleep for toddlers (adjusted β:0.56 [95% CI: 0.03, 1.09]) and preschoolers (adjusted β:0.51 [95% CI: 0.17, 0.85]), while higher reported physical activity was associated with longer sleep for school-age children (adjusted β:0.49 [95% CI: 0.08, 0.91]). Preschoolers with a primary caregiver who did not complete high school had shorter sleep (β: -0.80 [95% CI: -1.12, -0.48]). Among school-aged children, shorter sleep was associated with greater total carbohydrate intake (for every 100 g/day, β: -0.01 [95% CI: -0.02, 0.01]) and neotraditional dietary pattern adherence (β: -0.27 [95% CI: -0.53, -0.01]).
Conclusions:
Efforts should be made to encourage adequate sleep among Samoan children. Correlates of sleep were largely consistent with existing literature. Future research should examine additional culturally and contextually-specific risk factors for insufficient sleep in Samoa and consequences for child health.
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