0236 Assessing the Impact of Race and Income on Children's Sleep Habits

Abstract

Abstract Introduction Ample research supports the need for adequate sleep to develop normal physical and mental health throughout childhood. While objective sleep monitoring is ideal, it is not always practical in real-world settings. Therefore, subjective reports provide a more realistic alternative. The validated Children’s Sleep Habits Questionnaire (CSHQ) requires parents/caregivers to retrospectively report sleep quality in school-aged children. In a nation-wide study, we compared CSHQ ratings to determine any relationship with sleep quality and demographic variables. Methods CSHQ and demographic questionnaires were completed for n=152 children (ages 3-12y, 63% Male, 37% female), 45% African American and 55% Caucasian. Means of CSHQ scores and demographic variables were compared using independent t-tests and chi-square test of independence. Results Overall, African American children had lower reported sleep quality compared to Caucasian children (t150= -3.77, p< 0.001). Additionally, reported sleep quality was lower in households earning less than 100K compared to those earning more than 100K (t146= 2.69, p< 0.01), with more African American families earning less than 100K compared to Caucasian families (Χ2(1) = 11.99, p < 0.001). Conclusion Our results are consistent with previous research indicating that African American children have lower reported sleep quality than their Caucasian counterparts. While families with lower income report higher rates of sleep disturbance, this appears to be more prevalent in African American households. Although significantly different, both groups reported high levels of sleep disturbance, highlighting the need for general sleep education as well as the development of interventions tailored to different ethnic groups and demographic levels. Support (if any) Elson S. Floyd College of Medicine Dean’s Excellence Award Scholarship