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A recent study led by researchers at Penn State University highlights the prevalence and long-term effects of childhood-onset insomnia, particularly among racial and ethnic minority groups. The findings underscore the urgent need for early identification and intervention to address chronic sleep disturbances in children and adolescents.
Published in the journal SLEEP, the study reveals that children and teens from racial and ethnic minority backgrounds are disproportionately affected by persistent insomnia symptoms that persist into young adulthood. Notably, Black children are 2.6 times more likely to experience these long-term sleep problems compared to their white counterparts.
Lead researcher Professor Julio Fernandez-Mendoza emphasizes the significance of addressing insomnia as a public health concern, given its link to various health issues, including cardiometabolic disease, depression, and anxiety. Childhood-onset insomnia, in particular, poses a greater risk due to chronic exposure to sleeplessness.
The study, which followed 519 participants from the Penn State Child Cohort over several years, sheds light on the trajectory of insomnia symptoms from childhood to young adulthood. Through longitudinal assessments, researchers found that 23.3% of participants experienced persistent insomnia symptoms, while 16.8% developed symptoms in young adulthood.
Furthermore, the study highlights significant disparities in the persistence of insomnia symptoms among different racial and ethnic groups. Black participants exhibited the highest likelihood of persistent insomnia symptoms, followed by Hispanic/Latino youth. Black participants were 2.6 times more likely than white participants to have insomnia symptoms persisting into young adulthood, indicating a critical need for targeted interventions.
The study’s findings emphasize the importance of early intervention and support for children and adolescents experiencing sleep disturbances. Professor Fernandez-Mendoza stresses the need to prioritize insomnia symptoms in clinical settings and adopt proactive measures to address sleep-related issues among young individuals.
The research, funded by various institutes of the National Institutes of Health (NIH), contributes valuable insights into understanding and addressing childhood-onset insomnia and its long-term implications for health and well-being.
