[Sleep habits and sleep disturbance in school-age children of China].
OBJECTIVE
To survey the sleep habits (bedtime, wake time), sleep duration, and sleep problems in school-age children of China.


METHODS
From November to December, 2005, a total of 19,299 school-age children from 55 elementary schools of 9 cities entered the study by a cross-sectional survey. A parent-administered questionnaire and the Chinese version of the Children's Sleep Habits Questionnaire were applied to investigate children's sociodemographic characteristics and sleep behaviors, respectively.


RESULTS
The mean sleep duration was 9 hours and 10 minutes (9:10, SD:48 min) during the weekdays and 9:48 (SD: 63 min) during the weekends. In about 71.4% and 41.8% school-aged children the sleep duration per day did not reach the lowest criterion of 10 hours recommended by the Ministry of Education of China during weekdays and weekends, respectively. Sleep problems were common with prevalence ranging from 14.5% for sleep-disordered breathing to 75.3% for daytime sleepiness. Parasomnia (chi(2) = 13.76, P < 0.01) and sleep-disordered breathing (chi(2) = 119.83, P < 0.01) were more prevalent in boys than in girls; however, sleep anxiety was more prevalent in girls than in boys (chi(2) = 19.42, P < 0.01). Except for night waking, other types of sleep problems were significantly associated with age.


CONCLUSIONS
Inadequate sleep duration and sleep problems prevail among school-age children, which indicates that children's sleep health may be a major public health concern in China.
Li
Sheng-hui
SH
Shanghai Children's Medical Center, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai 200027, China.
Shen
Xiao-ming
XM
Jin
Xing-ming
XM
Yan
Chong-huai
CH
Wu
Sheng-hu
SH
Jiang
Fan
F
Yu
Xiao-dan
XD
Qiu
Yu-lan
YL
D002648:Child; D002681:China / Q000453:epidemiology; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006184:Habits; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D012890:Sleep; D012894:Sleep Stages; D012893:Sleep Wake Disorders / Q000453:epidemiology; D013334:Students; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014505:Urban Population