Sleep Epidemiology (Dec 2022)
Parental socioeconomic status and childhood sleep: A systematic review and meta-analysis
Abstract
Context: Parental socioeconomic status (SES) is increasingly understood to be a key contributor to sleep health, but the research in childhood has not been synthesized. Objective: To examine the associations between indicators of child SES and child sleep (≤18 years old), we conducted a systematic review and meta-analyses. Data sources: CINAHL with Full Text, PsycINFO, MEDLINE/PubMed, and Embase were searched using terms to define SES and childhood to ascertain all relevant, peer-reviewed articles from database inception to 27 December 2019. Study selection: Studies were included if an association between an indicator of parental SES and a measure of child sleep (duration, quality, and problems) was reported. Data extraction: Data was extracted from 46 studies (N = 72,915). Across these studies, total sample size across participants included in the meta-estimate was N = 69,373. Results: Data was extracted from 46 studies (N = 72,915). Across these studies, total sample size across participants included in the meta-estimate was N = 69,373. Higher parental education was associated with longer childhood sleep duration (stronger in samples with a higher proportion of White children) (OR = 1.302, 95% CI [1.111, 1.526], p = .001) and better sleep quality (OR = 1.332, 95% CI [1.014, 1.751], p = .040). Parental education was not directly associated with child sleep problems (OR = 1.191, 95% CI [0.733, 1.935], p = .479); moderation occurred by continent and the relationship was more pronounced in the Asian meta-estimate. Higher household income was not directly associated with longer childhood sleep duration (OR = 0.570, 95% CI [0.167, 1.943], p = 0.369), but moderation occurred by higher quality studies and the proportion of White children in the sample. Higher household income was associated with fewer sleep problems (moderated by continent) (OR = 0.764 (95% CI [0.689, 0.848], p < .001) and higher sleep quality (OR = 1.558, 95% CI [1.036, 2.342], p = .033). Limitations: This review was limited by the number and methods of available published studies meeting inclusion criteria. Conclusions: Preventative programs that emphasize improvements in sleep of children and adolescents growing up in lower SES families are needed.
