[Sleep problems and bedtime routines in infants in a cross cultural perspective].
Intercultural studies induced many controversies in the characteristics associated with sleep problems.


OBJECTIVE
The aim of this study was three fold: (1) to compare sleep problem frequency in two culturally different populations; (2) to analyze if some particular bedtime routines ("co-sleeping", "distal" or "proximal" parent-infant interaction) are associated to trouble; (3) to show influence of the cultural context to trouble.


METHODS
This study examines bedtime routines in French infants aged 12 to 24 months in maternal and infant's protect center (PMI) in Lyon and la Réunion island, for a sleep - cross cultural approach. Three hundred infants were enrolled in the survey.


RESULTS
We showed prominent sleep problems in la Réunion's group (35%) in comparison with the group in Lyon (17%) (P <0.005). Regression analysis allowed to draw relations between several factors and the sleep problems. Hence, proximal bedtime routines and interactions (CR =0.530, P =0.05), "co-sleeping" (CR =0.989, P =0.005) and parental presence at bedtime until infant falls asleep (CR =0.595, P =0.04) are significantly associated with sleep problems. These attitudes are more frequent in la Réunion's group.


CONCLUSIONS
Our study confirms literature data and asks question about cultural meaning for these inadequate behaviors in relation to mother-infant separation distress. Acculturation notion is called forth in la Réunion's group.
Louis
J
J
Inserm U480, université Claude-Bernard-Lyon-I, 8, avenue Rockefeller, 69373Lyon cedex 08, France. j-louis@univ-lyon1.fr
Govindama
Y
Y
D002675:Child, Preschool; D003431:Cross-Cultural Comparison; D003466:Cultural Characteristics; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008297:Male; D015999:Multivariate Analysis; D012893:Sleep Wake Disorders / Q000453:epidemiology*