The association between sleep and injury among school-aged children in rural China: a case-control study

OBJECTIVE: To explore the association between sleep and accidental injury among school-aged children in a rural area of China. METHODS: Information was collected regarding parent-reported sleep patterns and problems of 182 children with a history of a medically attended injury in the previous 12 months and of 207 non-injured control children, and data were analyzed to compare differences between the two groups of children. RESULTS: Global sleep disturbance (Children's Sleep Habits Questionnaire [CSHQ] total score) was significantly higher in the injured group (IG) than in the non-injured group (NIG), and a greater percentage of the IG scored above the clinical cut-off score on the CSHQ. Stepwise multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that the CSHQ parasomnias and daytime sleepiness subscale scores were significantly and positively related to injury. Sleep duration was also shorter in the IG, and this group had a greater percentage (23% vs 12%) of "short sleepers" (<9h). In addition, a greater percentage of "short sleepers" (91% vs 27%) had more than two injuries. CONCLUSION: This study supports an association between injuries and sleep disturbances, including shorter sleep duration and daytime sleepiness, in Chinese children.