Characterization of Parental Knowledge on Early Child Sleep and Association with Child Sleep Quality: A Cross-Sectional Pilot Study in Chongqing, China

PURPOSE: Parental knowledge of child sleep is typically poor, and profiling of knowledge patterns has not been performed. In recent years, the Chinese government has issued a series of administrative and legal documents to promote guidance on family education and parenting knowledge. The purpose of this study was to characterize the pattern of parental sleep knowledge for 0~3-year-old children in Chongqing, China, and to examine the associations among the knowledge pattern, guidance channel, and sleep quality. PARTICIPANTS AND METHODS: This was a cross-sectional pilot study of 264 primary caregivers of children aged 1~36 months who completed a brief survey using the 9-item Parents’ Knowledge of Child Sleep (PKCS) and a modified Chinese version of the Brief Infant Sleep Questionnaire (BISQ). Hierarchical clustering was performed to determine knowledge patterns. Logistic and multiple linear regressions were used to assess the associations. RESULTS: The average PKCS score was 50.2%. Parental knowledge showed a five-group pattern from I to V, with knowledge score increasing with the group number. Parents’ access to sources for guidance and information on children’s sleep was categorized into three categories from i to iii considering the authenticity of sources and richness of channels. Significant correlates of knowledge pattern were age (mo.) of the child (OR=0.97, p=0.019), low family income (vs high, OR=0.44, p=0.022; vs medium, OR=0.55, p=0.014), and information access patterns i and ii (vs iii with the lowest credibility and richness, OR=2.22/1.85, p=0.004/0.022). Knowledge pattern IV, with a few critical structural defects, showed a significant association with longer daytime napping (β=0.121, p<0.001). CONCLUSION: The child sleep knowledge of parents in Chongqing, China, was at a low level but showed characteristic patterns. Considering the social need and policy directions, it is necessary to improve public services to provide authentic and extensive guidance to strengthen parental knowledge on child sleep in Chongqing.