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Sleep behavior of underrepresented youth

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Abstract

Aim

In a disadvantageous socioeconomic context, minority children’s sleep ecology and hygiene may promote poor sleep.

Subjects and methods

A de-identified questionnaire was randomly distributed in local community centers. Subjects were a posteriori stratified into lower class (59.5 %), middle class (22.2 %) and upper class (18.4 %), and into the age categories used in the National Sleep Foundation Polls.

Results

The sample (n = 221) comprised 85.4 % African Americans, 9.1 % Hispanics and 5.6 % Mixed Ethnicities, which were equally distributed across classes. The respondent was primarily the mother (64.4 %), and the questionnaire information reflected the sleep of 7.0 ± 4.5 year olds, 49.5 % of which were girls. Co-sleeping was done by 43.5 %, and 76.8 % had a television in the room. Almost 45 % of the children went to bed on their own. Given the age range, the already insufficient amount of nighttime sleep was further reduced by poor sleep hygiene or ecology by about an hour. Sleep problems reported indicated difficulties with initiating and maintaining sleep.

Conclusion

Underrepresented youth have problematic sleep, which is characterized by difficulties initiating and maintaining sleep, or sleep-impeding circumstances. Sleep interventions in the underprivileged aiming at improving sleep hygiene and ecology should be developed.

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Acknowledgments

Each of the participants, the participating community centers and their representatives, Thomas Britt, MD, at Chicago State University, Mrs. Anguh and Mrs. Nwabara for their continued efforts throughout the project.

This work was performed when the first author worked at the Department of Pediatrics, Pritzker School of Medicine, The University of Chicago, Chicago, Illinois, USA.

Conflict of interest

The authors have no conflict of interest.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Faculty of Psychology and Educational Sciences, Vrije Universiteit Brussel, Pleinlaan 2, 1050, Brussel, Belgium

    Karen Spruyt

  2. Department of Developmental and Behavioral Pediatrics, Shanghai Children’s Medical Center affiliated with Shanghai Jiaotong University School of Medicine, MOE-Shanghai Key Laboratory of Children’s Environmental Health, 1678 Dongfang Rd, Shanghai, 200127, China

    Karen Spruyt

  3. College of Health Sciences, Department of Health Studies, Chicago State University, 9501 S King Dr Chicago, Chicago, IL, 60628, USA

    Ivonne Anguh & Odochi U. Nwabara

Authors
  1. Karen Spruyt
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  2. Ivonne Anguh
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  3. Odochi U. Nwabara
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Karen Spruyt.

Addendum

Addendum

The sleep problems surveyed:

  1. 1.

    Have you seen or heard your child having nightmares that he/she does not remember the next day?

  2. 2.

    Has he/she expressed fear of sleeping in the dark?

  3. 3.

    Is your child easy to wake up in the morning?

  4. 4.

    Does your child go to bed willingly?

  5. 5.

    Is he/she a restless sleeper?

  6. 6.

    Have you seen your child smiling during sleep?

  7. 7.

    Does he/she wake up at night?

  8. 8.

    Have your heard your child talking in his/her sleep?

  9. 9.

    Have you observed him/her sleep walking?

  10. 10.

    While asleep, does he/she ever sit up in bed?

  11. 11.

    Does he/she grind his/her teeth during sleep?

  12. 12.

    Have you heard your child laugh during sleep?

  13. 13.

    Has your child told you about having a frightening dream?

  14. 14.

    Have you observed repetitive actions such as rocking or head banging during sleep?

  15. 15.

    Does he/she have problems with bed wetting?

  16. 16.

    Have your observed your child having a nightmare during which he/she appeared extremely afraid or terrified?

  17. 17.

    Have you looked in on your child and discovered he/she was crying while asleep?

  18. 18.

    Has he/she told you about having a pleasant dream?

  19. 19.

    Does your child complain about difficulties going to sleep?

  20. 20.

    Does your child get up to go to the bathroom during the night?

  21. 21.

    Does your child stop breathing during sleep?

  22. 22.

    Does your child struggle to breathe while asleep?

  23. 23.

    Does your child fall asleep easily?

  24. 24.

    Do you ever shake your child to make him/her breathe again when asleep?

  25. 25.

    Do your child’s lips ever turn blue or purple while asleep?

  26. 26.

    Are you ever concerned about your child’s breathing during sleep?

  27. 27.

    How often does your child snore?

  28. 28.

    How loud is the snore?

  29. 29.

    How often does your child have a sore throat?

  30. 30.

    Does your child complain of morning headaches?

  31. 31.

    Is your child a daytime mouth breather?

  32. 32.

    Is your child sleepy during the daytime?

  33. 33.

    Does your child fall asleep at school?

  34. 34.

    Does your child fall asleep while watching television?

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Spruyt, K., Anguh, I. & Nwabara, O.U. Sleep behavior of underrepresented youth. J Public Health 22, 111–120 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10389-013-0602-7

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10389-013-0602-7

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