sleep

Limited Access to Medical Services Linked to Differences in Children’s Sleep Patterns, New ECHO Cohort Study Finds

Posted on by Jodi Snare

Children living in communities with too few healthcare providers may experience different sleep patterns than those in better-resourced areas, according to a new ECHO Cohort study led by Brittany Lancaster, PhD, of Mississippi State University, Christy W. Hockett, PhD, of the Avera Research Institute, and Anna Wallisch, PhD, of the University of Kansas Medical Center.

Most prior research on child sleep has focused on individual and family-level behaviors—such as routines or screen use—without fully considering how living in rural or medically underserved communities shapes access to health-promoting resources. Families in these areas often face barriers such as long travel distances, limited medical services, and fewer health supports. These challenges can indirectly influence key behaviors, such as sleep.

This study included 22,234 youth ages 1–17 years, categorized into four groups based on whether they lived in rural areas, medically underserved areas, both, or neither. Using parent or self-reported questionnaires, researchers examined sleep duration, bedtimes, wake times, time to fall asleep, and bedtime habits, then compared patterns across these community types. A medically underserved area is defined as having too few primary care providers, high infant mortality, or high poverty and/or high elderly population.

Key Takeaways Include:

  • Children in medically underserved areas tended to go to bed later, wake up later, and were less likely to get the recommended amount of sleep, especially among children aged 12 and under.
  • Rural versus non‑rural differences were small; rural children generally went to bed and woke up earlier, while preschoolers in non‑rural areas slept longer due to more frequent naps.
  • Bedtime habits differed slightly: toddlers and teens in well‑resourced areas were more likely to have consistent bedtime routines, while preschoolers in underserved communities were more likely to use electronics before bed.
  • Results suggest that limited access to medical services—not rurality alone—may contribute more meaningfully to disparities in children’s sleep health.

“Our findings highlight an increased need to support families in medically underserved areas with practical strategies for bedtime routines and reducing screen time before bed, as these approaches may meaningfully improve sleep duration and quality among young children,” Dr. Lancaster said.

Targeted community programs through daycares, schools, and community centers may help support healthier sleep practices, particularly in medically underserved areas. Future research will continue to examine how environment, resources, and community characteristics influence children’s sleep.

This collaborative research, titled “Exploring Sleep Outcomes in Youth Across Settings: Are There Differences based on Rurality or Medically Underserved Status in the ECHO Cohort?”, is published in Sleep Medicine.

New ECHO Research Suggests Maternal Sleep During Second Trimester of Pregnancy May be Associated with ADHD Symptoms and Sleep Problems in Children

Posted on by Jodi Snare

Collaborative ECHO research led by Claudia Lugo-Candelas, PhD, Tse Hwei, MPH, Seonjoo Lee, PhD, and Cristiane Duarte, MPH, PhD of the Columbia University Irving Medical Center and New York State Psychiatric Institutes investigates the effect of prenatal sleep on children’s health outcomes, including neurodevelopment disorders and sleep quality. This research, titled “Prenatal sleep health and risk of offspring ADHD symptomatology and associated phenotypes: A prospective analysis of timing and sex differences in the ECHO Cohort,” is published in The Lancet Regional Health – Americas.

Sleep difficulties are common in pregnancy. Poor prenatal sleep may relate to negative outcomes for both parent and child, including pregnancy complications and certain birth outcomes. The impact of poor prenatal sleep may also extend beyond pregnancy and birth and may increase the risk for neurodevelopment disorders in offspring, particularly attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD).

In this study, ECHO researchers aimed to study potential associations between poor prenatal sleep and an increased risk of ADHD symptoms and sleep problems in offspring. The research team used data from 794 mother-child pairs across five ECHO research sites and all enrolled pairs with available prenatal sleep and offspring ADHD assessments before age 7 were included. The pregnant participants reported on their sleep during pregnancy using self-report questionnaires and reported on children’s symptoms and behaviors when children were between 3 and 5 years old. The study assessed the children’s ADHD symptoms and associated characteristics using the Child Behavior Checklist Preschool Version, a widely used parent report that measures behavior problems in children.

The study found that prenatal sleep quality and duration, particularly in the second trimester, appeared related to children’s risk for ADHD, emotional reactivity, and sleep problems at age 4. Longer sleep duration in the second trimester was associated with fewer ADHD symptoms in children. Poorer sleep quality scores in the second trimester were associated with greater offspring ADHD symptomatology. Shorter duration and poorer quality of sleep during the second trimester were also associated with more sleep difficulties in children.

“This study extends prior work by examining the associations between self-reported prenatal maternal sleep health and offspring ADHD symptoms in early childhood in a large, socio-demographically diverse sample,” Dr. Lugo-Candelas said. “This study was also the first looking to understand if sleep at a particular time in pregnancy is specifically related to offspring outcomes. Our research suggests we need to better study the role of sleep in pregnancy on both the health of the pregnant woman and their offspring to understand these potential associations.”

Future studies are needed to replicate these findings, as well as investigate the possible mechanisms. Poor sleep may impact inflammation in pregnancy and offspring development, but studies have not examined that association.

Read the research summary.

ECHO Study Suggests Maternal Sleep During Second Trimester of Pregnancy May be Associated with ADHD Symptoms and Sleep Quality in Early Childhood

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ECHO Study Suggests Maternal Sleep During Second Trimester of Pregnancy May be Associated with ADHD Symptoms and Sleep Quality in Early Childhood

Authors: Claudia Lugo-Candelas, Tse Hwei, Seonjoo Lee, Cristiane Duarte, et al.

 

Who sponsored this study?

The Environmental influences on Child Health Outcomes (ECHO) Program, Office of the Director, National Institutes of Health supported this research.

 

Why was this study needed?

Sleep difficulties are common in pregnancy. Poor prenatal sleep may relate to negative outcomes for both parent and child, including pregnancy complications and certain birth outcomes. The impact of poor prenatal sleep may also extend beyond pregnancy and birth and may increase the risk for neurodevelopment disorders in offspring, particularly attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD).

In this study, ECHO researchers aimed to study potential associations between poor prenatal sleep and an increased risk of ADHD symptoms and sleep problems in offspring.

 

What were the study results?

Prenatal sleep quality and duration, particularly in the second trimester, appeared related to children’s risk for ADHD, emotional reactivity, and sleep problems at age 4. Longer sleep duration in the second trimester was associated with fewer ADHD symptoms in children. Poorer sleep quality scores in the second trimester were associated with greater offspring ADHD symptomatology. Shorter duration and poorer quality of sleep during the second trimester were also associated with more sleep difficulties in children.

Footnote: Results reported here are for a single study. Other or future studies may provide new information or different results. You should always consult with a qualified healthcare provider for diagnosis and for answers to your personal questions.

 

What was the study's impact?

This study extends prior work by examining the associations between self-reported prenatal maternal sleep health and offspring ADHD symptoms in early childhood in a large, socio-demographically diverse sample in the U.S., including Puerto Rico.

 

Who was involved?

The research team used data from 794 mother-child pairs across five ECHO research sites. All enrolled pairs with available prenatal sleep and offspring ADHD assessments before age seven were included. The pregnant participants were between 27 and 37 years old.

 

What happened during the study?

Pregnant participants reported on their sleep during pregnancy using self-report questionnaires and reported on children's symptoms and behaviors when children were between 3 and 5 years old. The study assessed the children’s ADHD symptoms and associated characteristics using the Child Behavior Checklist Preschool Version, a widely used parent report that measures behavior problems in children.

What happens next?

Future studies are needed to replicate these findings, as well as investigate the possible mechanisms. Poor sleep may impact inflammation in pregnancy and offspring development, but studies have not examined that association.

 

Where can I learn more?

Access the full journal article, titled “Prenatal sleep health and risk of offspring ADHD symptomatology and associated phenotypes: A prospective analysis of timing and sex differences in the ECHO Cohort,” in The Lancet Regional Health - Americas.

 

The content is the responsibility of the authors and does not necessarily represent the official views of the National Institutes of Health.

Published October 9, 2023

 

Access the associated article.

Download this summary

ECHO Study Suggests Maternal Sleep During Second Trimester of Pregnancy May be Associated with ADHD Symptoms and Sleep Quality in Early Childhood

 

New ECHO Research Finds Higher Caregiver Stress Levels Linked to Sleep Issues in Children

Posted on by Jodi Snare

Collaborative ECHO research led by Maxwell Mansolf, PhD and Courtney K. Blackwell, PhD, of Northwestern University investigates the potential link between poor sleep health of school-age children and stress experienced by their caregivers. This research, titled “Caregiver Perceived Stress and Child Sleep Health: An Item-Level Individual Participant Data Meta-Analysis,” is published in the  Journal of Child and Family Studies.

Up to 50% of children and adolescents in the United States might experience sleep problems, which is an issue because poor sleep can negatively impact brain development, learning, and physical and emotional well-being.

There have been prior studies suggesting a link between poor sleep in children and stress experienced by their caregivers, but those were mainly limited to infants and young children. This study involved school-age children and teens, specifically 2,641 children between the ages of 6 and 18 from 12 ECHO research sites.

Caregivers participating in the study completed the Perceived Stress Scale (PSS) to provide data about their personal stress levels. They also completed the Child Behavior Checklist (CBCL), a parent-reported survey that provides information about a child’s well-being, including their sleep habits. Responses from the PSS and CBCL were compared and analyzed to evaluate how caregiver stress affected child sleep patterns, particularly by looking at CBCL responses that addressed children’s experiences with nightmares, insomnia, ongoing tiredness, and excessive and troubled sleep.

The study found that children whose caregivers reported increased perceived stress from their life circumstances may be at higher risk for sleep issues, reaffirming existing links between caregiver psychosocial state and child well-being. This association was consistent across different groups of child and caregiver pairs studied, even after accounting for mental and physical health conditions, highlighting the importance of screening for caregiver stress to create plans for children who may be at risk for sleep issues.

“This research suggests that children whose caregivers are under increased stress may be at particular risk for sleep issues, and screening for caregiver stress may represent a potential pathway for screening and intervention of child sleep issues,” said Dr. Mansolf. “This research also demonstrates the utility of cross-cohort harmonization, as responses from multiple versions of the Perceived Stress Scale were harmonized for use here.”

Future sleep interventions may consider a more global approach to improving child and adolescent sleep health. Continued research on the factors that influence family health and well-being may guide interventions that address the entire family and the dynamics of the family relationship.

Read the research summary.

ECHO Study Suggests Caregiver Stress May Be Linked to Child Sleep Issues

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ECHO Study Suggests Caregiver Stress May Be Linked to Child Sleep Issues

Authors: Maxwell Mansolf, Courtney K. Blackwell, et al.

 

Who sponsored this study?

The Environmental influences on Child Health Outcomes (ECHO) Program, Office of the Director, National Institutes of Health supported this research.

 

Why was this study needed?

Up to 50% of children and adolescents in the United States might experience sleep problems. Poor sleep can negatively affect brain development, learning, and physical and emotional well-being. Existing studies suggest there could be a link between poor sleep outcomes in children and teens and stress experienced by their caregivers, but these studies have primarily been limited to infants and young children. In this study, researchers used ECHO’s diverse data to study this association in school-age children and teens.

 

What were the study results?

Children of caregivers who reported feeling stress from their life circumstances were more likely to experience sleep disturbances. This association was consistent across different groups of child and caregiver pairs studied, even after accounting for mental and physical health conditions.

Footnote: Results reported here are for a single study. Other or future studies may provide new information or different results. You should always consult with a qualified healthcare provider for diagnosis and for answers to your personal questions.

 

What was the study's impact?

This research suggests that children whose caregivers report increased perceived stress may be at higher risk for sleep issues. Screening for caregiver stress may help healthcare providers identify and plan interventions for children who may be at risk for sleep issues.

 

Who was involved?

The study included data from 2,641 children between ages 6 and 18 and their caregivers from 12 ECHO research sites. Most caregivers (78.6%) had at least some college education. About a third of the children (34.7%) had at least one mental health condition, and a quarter of the children (25%) had at least one physical health condition.

 

What happened during the study?

Researchers analyzed data provided by caregivers who completed the Perceived Stress Scale (PSS) about their own stress as well as the Child Behavior Checklist (CBCL), a common parent-reported child behavior survey, about their children’s emotional and behavioral well-being, including their sleep habits. The PSS is a widely used self-report survey that measures how much a person perceives their life as unpredictable, uncontrollable, and overloading over the previous month. To evaluate how caregiver stress affected child sleep patterns, researchers looked at responses to questions from the CBCL that addressed children’s experience with nightmares, insomnia, excessive sleep, troubled sleep, and ongoing tiredness.

 

What happens next?

Future sleep interventions may consider a more global approach to improving child and adolescent sleep health. Continued research on the factors that influence family health and well-being may guide interventions that address the entire family and the dynamics of the family relationship.

 

Where can I learn more?

Access the full journal article, titled “Caregiver Perceived Stress and Child Sleep Health: An Item-Level Individual Participant Data Meta-Analysis,” in the Journal of Child and Family Studies.

 

The content is the responsibility of the authors and does not necessarily represent the official views of the National Institutes of Health.

Published July 15, 2023

 

Access the associated article.

Download this summary

ECHO Study Suggests Caregiver Stress May Be Linked to Child Sleep Issues

Read More Research Summaries

Patterns of Substance Use during Pregnancy Predict Child Behavior Problems

Authors: Sarah Maylott, et al.

How Does a Mother’s Mental and Physical Health During and After Pregnancy Affect Their Child’s Behavior During Early Childhood?

Authors: Lauren C. Shuffrey, et al.

 

New ECHO Research Finds Significant Changes in Children’s Sleep Habits during the COVID-19 Pandemic

Posted on by Jodi Snare

Maristella Lucchini, PhD

Collaborative ECHO research led by Maristella Lucchini, PhD of Columbia University Irving Medical Center investigates changes in childhood sleep behaviors during the COVID-19 pandemic. The researchers looked at data from 528 children across the United States and found that, during the COVID-19 pandemic, children went to bed later, woke up later, and took longer to fall asleep, but their overall time spent asleep did not change. The study also found that children in minority communities went to bed later, slept less, and took naps more frequently. This research, titled “Impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on children’s sleep habits: an ECHO study,” is published in Pediatric Research.

This study included children aged 4 to 12 from 14 ECHO cohorts across the United States. The ECHO Program’s Sleep Health of Children and Adolescents Questionnaire was used to evaluate children’s sleep habits before the pandemic began and at two time periods during the pandemic. The researchers also collected sociodemographic information from self-reports and medical records.

ECHO researchers found significant changes in children’s sleep habits, as well as differences in children’s sleep behaviors between racial/ethnic groups. However, parental knowledge of the importance of sleep might have contributed to children sleep health. Interviews with 38 participant caregivers revealed they prioritized routines to maintain their children’s amount of sleep but were generally more flexible about bedtimes.

“This is the first study investigating changes in childhood sleep habits in the United States during the COVID-19 pandemic using data collected before and during the pandemic,” said Dr. Lucchini. “The results highlight potential targets for future interventions and support the need to examine and address the root causes of racial and ethnic sleep disparities in childhood.”

Using data from the same cohort of children, ECHO researchers are in the process of analyzing and publishing results on changes in diet, physical activity, and screen time during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Read the research summary.

During the COVID-19 Pandemic, Children’s Sleep Schedules Changed, But Their Time Asleep Stayed the Same

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During the COVID-19 Pandemic, Children's Sleep Schedules Changed, But Their Time Asleep Stayed the Same

Authors: Maristella Lucchini, et al.

 

Who sponsored this study?

This research was supported by the Environmental influences on Child Health Outcomes (ECHO) Program, Office of The Director, National Institutes of Health.

 

What were the study results?

During the COVID-19 pandemic, children in the United States went to bed later, woke up later, and took longer to fall asleep, but their overall time spent asleep did not change. Interviews with caregivers revealed that they prioritized routines to maintain their children’s amount of sleep but were more flexible about bedtime. Across all time periods studied, children from racial and ethnic minority communities went to bed later, slept less, and napped more often.

Footnote: Results reported here are for a single study. Other or future studies may provide new information or different results. You should not make changes to your health without first consulting your healthcare professional.

 

What was the study's impact?

This is one of the first studies investigating changes in childhood sleep habits in the United States during the COVID-19 pandemic using data collected before and during the pandemic. The researchers found significant changes in children’s sleep habits, as well as differences in children’s sleep behaviors between racial/ethnic groups. These results highlight potential areas for future research and support the need to examine and address root causes of racial/ethnic sleep disparities in childhood.

 

Why was this study needed?

Sleep health during childhood is important for overall health and brain development. Poor sleep can increase a child’s risk for chronic illnesses, behavioral problems, and poor memory. Factors that affect sleep health may have been significantly impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic due to lockdowns and curfews, increased stress, and changes in social support. Many studies have shown that, due to systemic and structural inequities, the pandemic has affected the health behaviors of children differently based on their socioeconomic status, race, and ethnicity. These differences may worsen existing gaps in children’s health.

Several studies have reported on how the pandemic has affected childhood sleep habits, but few of these studies involved children in the United States. Most previous studies have relied on self-reported or time-limited data and have focused primarily on early stages of the pandemic. The goal of this study was to investigate changes in nighttime sleep habits and frequency of daytime naps during the COVID-19 pandemic.

 

Who was involved?

This study included 528 children aged 4 to 12 from 14 ECHO cohorts across the United States. The caregivers of 38 participants provided additional information about how they thought their children’s sleep habits may have been affected by the COVID-19 pandemic.

 

What happened during the study?

The researchers compared data from before the pandemic with data collected at two different time periods during the pandemic. They used this data to examine the length of time it took children to fall asleep, time spent asleep at night during the week and on weekends, and the frequency of later bedtimes and daytime naps. They also collected sociodemographic information (child sex, age, race and ethnicity, maternal education) from self-reports and medical records.

 

What happens next?

ECHO researchers are currently analyzing and publishing results on changes in diet, physical activity, and screen time during the COVID-19 pandemic from the same cohort of children.

 

Where can I learn more?

Access the full journal article, titled “Impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on children’s sleep habits: an ECHO study,” in Pediatric Research.

 

The content is the responsibility of the authors and does not necessarily represent the official views of the National Institutes of Health.

Published October 4, 2022

 

Access the associated article.

Download this summary

During the COVID-19 Pandemic, Children's Sleep Schedules Changed, But Their Time Asleep Stayed the Same

Read More Research Summaries about COVID

 

How has the COVID-19 pandemic affected children’s health behaviors?

Authors: Traci Bekelman, et al.

 

Changes in Body Mass Index (BMI) during the COVID-19 Pandemic

Authors: Emily Knapp, Aruna Chandran, et al.

 

Youth Well-being During COVID-19

Author(s): Courtney K. Blackwell, et al.

Pregnant Women Living in Worse Neighborhood Conditions Were More Likely to Have Shorter Pregnancies and Smaller Babies

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Pregnant Women Living in Worse Neighborhood Conditions Were More Likely to Have Shorter Pregnancies and Smaller Babies

Author(s): Sheena Martenies, et al.

 

Who sponsored this study?

This research was supported by the Environmental influences on Child Health Outcomes (ECHO) Program, Office of The Director, National Institutes of Health.

 

What were the study results?

In this study, ECHO researchers found that pregnant participants living in neighborhoods with higher exposure index scores, which reflect worse neighborhood conditions, had shorter pregnancies and smaller babies. For Black pregnant participants, there was a higher risk of preterm birth linked to increased combined exposures during pregnancy compared to White pregnant participants. The researchers also found that pregnant women living in rural areas had shorter pregnancies and smaller babies compared to pregnant women living in urban areas who had similar scores on the combined exposure index.

Footnote: Results reported here are for a single study. Other or future studies may provide new information or different results. You should not make changes to your health without first consulting your healthcare professional.

 

What was the study's impact?

This study provides additional support suggesting that neighborhood conditions can impact pregnancy and infant health. The effects of combined neighborhood-level exposures on childhood health can have notable effects on a national scale. Lower birthweight and shorter pregnancies are associated with health challenges later in life, including asthma and developmental delays.

 

Why was this study needed?

Previous studies have found that neighborhood conditions can influence pregnancy and infant health, but few have examined the effects of exposure to a combination of environmental and social stressors. It is important to look at multiple exposures simultaneously because this more closely mirrors real-world experiences on people’s health outcomes.

Existing tools for looking at combined exposures to environmental and social conditions in neighborhoods do not have national coverage or they do not extend across the time frames needed. To address this issue, researchers developed an exposure index to examine the relationship between combined environmental and social exposures at the neighborhood level and pregnancy and infant health in ECHO cohorts.

 

Who was involved?

This study included more than 13,000 infants born between 2010 and 2019. The participants were from 41 ECHO cohorts located throughout the United States.

 

What happened during the study?

ECHO researchers developed an exposure index that combined data on multiple environmental hazards and social circumstances into a single measure of neighborhood conditions. The index included factors such as air pollutants, vehicle traffic, poverty, and crowded housing. Pregnant participants were assigned an index score based on where they lived during their pregnancy. Then, the researchers looked at how this index score was associated with birthweight, length of pregnancy, and other pregnancy outcomes.

 

What happens next?

More research is needed to determine which of the exposures in the index are most important to child health outcomes. Some members of the research team are studying data from two ECHO cohorts to see how these neighborhood-level exposures might interact to influence obesity later in life.

 

Where can I learn more?

Access the full journal article, titled “Associations between combined exposure to environmental hazards and social stressors at the neighborhood level and individual perinatal outcomes in the ECHO-wide cohort,” in Health & Place.

 

The content is the responsibility of the authors and does not necessarily represent the official views of the National Institutes of Health.

Published July 21, 2022

 

Read the associated article.

Download this summary

Pregnant Women Living in Worse Neighborhood Conditions Were More Likely to Have Shorter Pregnancies and Smaller Babies

Read More Research Summaries

How Do Biological, Behavioral, and Social Factors Affect Prenatal Health?

Author(s): Stephanie Eick, Rachel Morello-Frosch, et al.

The Relationship between Neighborhoods and Asthma Occurrence in Children

Author(s): Antonella Zanobetti, Patrick H. Ryan, et al.

How Environmental Exposures Affect Child Health Across Multiple Generations

Author(s): Carrie Breton, et al.

NIH Program Study Suggests Racial/Ethnic Sleep Disparities During Pregnancy

Posted on by Jodi Snare

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

 

Maristella Lucchini, PhD

Pregnant Black women may sleep less and wake up more often than pregnant White women, according to a new study funded by the Environmental influences on Child Health Outcomes (ECHO) Program at the National Institutes of Health (NIH). Poor sleep during pregnancy is common, and it’s associated with poor outcomes in late pregnancy and after birth. Although minority groups in the United States often experience worse sleep than non-Hispanic White people, sleep disparities during pregnancy are understudied. Better understanding maternal sleep disparities—and what causes them—can help improve health outcomes for pregnant women and their children.

“Research shows poor sleep contributes to adverse maternal outcomes that disproportionately affect racial and ethnic minority communities,” said Maristella Lucchini, PhD, of Columbia University Irving Medical Center. “We wanted to know if sleep was a factor that contributed to racial and ethnic disparities in overall maternal health.”

Dr. Lucchini, an ECHO Program investigator, led this collaborative research effort, which is now published in Sleep.

The research team analyzed data from 2,500 pregnant participants in 14 ECHO cohorts nationwide. They found that compared to non-Hispanic white participants:

Non-Hispanic black participants reported:

    • Shorter sleep duration
    • More sleep disturbances
    • Similar sleep quality

Hispanic participants reported:

    • Longer sleep duration
    • Better sleep quality
    • Fewer sleep disturbances

Lucchini, M. et al. Racial/ethnic disparities in subjective sleep duration, sleep quality, and sleep disturbances during pregnancy: an ECHO study. Sleep. DOI: 10.1093/sleep/zsac075

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About ECHO: ECHO is a nationwide research program supported by the NIH. Launched in 2016, ECHO aims to enhance the health of children for generations to come. ECHO investigators study the effects of a broad range of early environmental influences on child health and development. For more information, visit echochildren.org.

About the NIH: NIH, the nation’s medical research agency, includes 27 Institutes and Centers and is a component of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. NIH is the primary federal agency conducting and supporting basic, clinical, and translational medical research, and is investigating the causes, treatments, and cures for both common and rare diseases. For more information, visit www.nih.gov.

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ECHO Research Explores Sleep Differences Among Pregnant Participants Across Racial and Ethnic Groups

Posted on by Jodi Snare

Maristella Lucchini, PhD

Findings from a collaborative research effort led by Maristella Lucchini, PhD of Columbia University Irving Medical Center, report differences in pregnant individuals’ sleep quality across racial and ethnic groups. Based on the team’s research, pregnant non-Hispanic Black participants slept less and had more sleep disturbances compared with non-Hispanic White participants. Hispanic participants slept longer, had better sleep quality, and experienced fewer sleep disturbances compared with non-Hispanic White participants. This research, titled “Racial/ethnic disparities in subjective sleep duration, sleep quality and sleep disturbances during pregnancy: an ECHO study” is published in Sleep.

The team analyzed data from 2500 pregnant participants in 14 ECHO cohorts nationwide. Information was collected via questionnaire, in which participants reported sleep duration, quality, and disturbances, as well as education level, height, age, and pre-pregnancy weight.

The size of the ECHO cohort created an avenue to investigate and report differences in pregnant individuals’ sleep quality across racial and ethnic groups. “Research shows that pregnant individuals from minority groups are more likely to experience complications during pregnancy, and there is an association between poor sleep and poor maternal health,” said Dr. Lucchini. “We wanted to know if sleep was a factor that contributed to racial and ethnic disparities in overall maternal health.”

Expanding on these findings in future studies may suggest the need for targeted interventions to improve sleep health in pregnancy. Additionally, future studies should explore the factors that contribute to sleep disparities on various levels, including personal, family, neighborhood, and societal.

Read the Research Summary.