AUTHOR=Nena Evangelia , Cassimos Dimitrios , Kaditis Athanasios , Kourantzi Maria , Trakada Georgia , Economou Nikolaos-Tiberio , Nikolaidis Pantelis T. , Rosemann Thomas , Knechtle Beat , Steiropoulos Paschalis , Tsalkidis Angelos 

TITLE=Predictors of Sleep Duration and Sleep Disturbance in Children of a Culturally Diverse Region in North-Eastern Greece

JOURNAL=Frontiers in Pediatrics

VOLUME=Volume 8 - 2020

YEAR=2020

URL=https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/pediatrics/articles/10.3389/fped.2020.00023

DOI=10.3389/fped.2020.00023

ISSN=2296-2360

ABSTRACT=BACKGROUND-AIM: Aim of this study was to examine sleep characteristics of children and explore associations with various socio-demographic factors, in an area of Greece characterized by cultural diversity. 
METHODS: A questionnaire about children’s sleep habits had been distributed to parents of children who visited the pediatric outpatient clinic of University General Hospital of Alexandroupolis, for a medical examination and health certificate, for participation to sports activities. Children with chronic health conditions were excluded. 
RESULTS: In the study, 449 children (27.1% belonging to minorities) were included, aged 7.6±2.9 years. Most of them (81.7%) slept after 10 pm, with mean nocturnal sleep duration 9.4±1.2 hours. The most commonly reported disturbance was snoring (26.2%). Age and high educational level of the mother were both important determinants for sleeping late [OR 1.139 (1.033-1.255); p=0.009 and OR 1.086 (1.004-1.175); p=0.040, respectively. The latter was also associated with absence of any reported sleep disorder in children [OR 0.934 (0.877-0.994); p=0.031]. A longer sleep duration was reported among Roma children (p=0.022), which was more overt in girls (mean sleep duration 10.4±1.6 hours). In the Roma group also, prevalence of sleep disorders was higher. 
CONCLUSION: Age progression and maternal educational level along with cultural background seem to be related with variations in sleep characteristics of children, in a culturally diverse population of Greece.