Sleep difficulties as a universal risk factor for injury among adolescents in 46 countries

Background
Poor sleep is common among adolescents and associated with unintentional injuries. The current evidence base is limited by differences in measures of sleep and injury implemented across studies. We examined the potential universality of the relationship between poor sleep and injury cross-nationally using self-reports from 229,589 adolescents in 46 countries that were collected using common procedures and measures.

Methods

A cross-sectional study was conducted using records from the 2017/18 Health Behaviour in School-aged Children (HBSC): World Health Organization cross-national study. The prevalence of sleep indicators (difficulties in falling asleep, insufficient sleep, social jet lag) and medically treated injuries (overall, multiple) were described across countries and by gender. Multivariable modified Poisson regression analyses were conducted within and across countries to test the consistency of the association between poor adolescent sleep and injuries.

Results

Overall, indicators of poor sleep were reported by nearly half of adolescents, and varied by gender and across countries. Country-level analyses found consistently positive associations between indicators of poor sleep and injuries. Pooled (multi-country) analyses further demonstrated a universality of these relationships across sleep indicators and injury outcomes. The strength of relationships varied by gender, with more robust associations detected among girls compared to boys.

Conclusions

Poor sleep is a robust and mainly consistent risk factor for injury among adolescents across countries and regions. Public health officials and policymakers should therefore recognize adolescent sleep as a health priority. The promotion of sleep hygiene may represent a novel target for injury prevention at regional and national levels.

Key messages

• Poor sleep, in the form of sleep difficulties, insufficient sleep, and social jet lag, were robust and mainly consistent injury risk factors among adolescents across 46 countries.

• Public health officials should recognize sleep hygiene as a novel focus for adolescent injury prevention.