title: A comparison of sleeping problems in school-age children between rural and urban communities in China.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  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.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  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.
authors.affiliation: Liaocheng People's Hospital and Liaocheng Clinical School of Taishan Medical University, Liaocheng, Shandong, China.
authors.forename: Qiao-Zhi
authors.initials: QZ
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.forename: Yue-Qing
authors.initials: YQ
authors.lastname: Bu
authors.forename: Sheng-Ying
authors.initials: SY
authors.lastname: Dong
authors.forename: Shu-Shan
authors.initials: SS
authors.lastname: Fan
authors.forename: Le-Xin
authors.initials: LX
authors.lastname: Wang
mesh_terms: D000367:Age Factors; D002648:Child; D002681:China / Q000453:epidemiology; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D004522:Educational Status; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008423:Maternal Age; D010290:Parents; D015995:Prevalence; D016684:Prone Position; D012044:Regression Analysis; D012423:Rural Health; D012890:Sleep; D012893:Sleep Wake Disorders / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology; D016683:Supine Position; D014504:Urban Health