Emma Shaffer1, Sallie Porter2, Eileen Condon3, Peijia Zha4, Barbara A Caldwell5. 1. Division of Nursing Science, School of Nursing, Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey. 2. Division of Advanced Nursing Practice, School of Nursing, Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey. 3. Yale School of Nursing, CT. 4. Division of Nursing Science, Center for Technology and Chronic Disease Management, School of Nursing, Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey ; and. 5. Advanced Practice Nursing, School of Nursing, Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey .
Abstract
OBJECTIVE: Sleep is critical for child health, but factors related to poverty create barriers to the achievement of healthful sleep. In this study, we examined the associations of insufficient diaper supply, a measure of material hardship, with child sleep. METHODS: This cross-sectional study included 129 parents of very young children. Each participant responded to an online material hardship assessment and the Brief Infant Sleep Questionnaire-Revised. Multiple linear regression was used to analyze the relationship between diaper need and sleep. RESULTS: Controlling for family and socioeconomic variables, diaper need was associated with disrupted, shorter sleep periods (β = -11.95, p < 0.001) and lower total sleep scores (β = -6.49, p = 0.004). High diaper need was associated with parent perception of poor sleep (β = -7.28, p = 0.017). CONCLUSION: The findings suggest that an inadequate supply of diapers adversely affects children's sleep. Further research should evaluate how screening and connecting families to resources may improve pediatric sleep.
OBJECTIVE: Sleep is critical for child health, but factors related to poverty create barriers to the achievement of healthful sleep. In this study, we examined the associations of insufficient diaper supply, a measure of material hardship, with child sleep. METHODS: This cross-sectional study included 129 parents of very young children. Each participant responded to an online material hardship assessment and the Brief Infant Sleep Questionnaire-Revised. Multiple linear regression was used to analyze the relationship between diaper need and sleep. RESULTS: Controlling for family and socioeconomic variables, diaper need was associated with disrupted, shorter sleep periods (β = -11.95, p < 0.001) and lower total sleep scores (β = -6.49, p = 0.004). High diaper need was associated with parent perception of poor sleep (β = -7.28, p = 0.017). CONCLUSION: The findings suggest that an inadequate supply of diapers adversely affects children's sleep. Further research should evaluate how screening and connecting families to resources may improve pediatric sleep.