A comparison of sleeping problems in school-age children between rural and urban communities in China

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.