Sleep in Farm Adolescents

Abstract

Purpose The objectives were to: (1) describe sleep timing and patterns among adolescents who live or work on farms; (2) compare these sleep characteristics to those of nonfarm adolescents; (3) explore whether the above sleep and farm versus nonfarm differences varied by age and gender. Methods Participants were aged 11‐16 years and were abstracted from the 2014 Canadian Health Behaviour in School‐aged Children study. Records from 2,160 farm adolescents were frequency matched (by school, gender, and grade) to records from 2,210 nonfarm adolescents. Participants self‐reported their bedtimes and wake‐up times on weekdays and weekends. Findings Among farm adolescents, average nightly sleep duration (hours:minutes) ranged from 08:34 among 14‐ to 16‐year‐old girls to 09:21 among 11‐ to 13‐year‐old girls. Approximately 24% to 32% of farm adolescents did not meet minimal sleep duration targets. For 11‐ to 13‐year‐olds, sleep characteristics did not differ according to farm status. However, for 14‐ to 16‐year‐olds, farm adolescents had shorter sleep durations than nonfarm adolescents (23 minutes for boys, P = .02; 20 minutes for girls, P = .06). Furthermore, a greater proportion of 14‐ to 16‐year‐old farm boys had sleep duration values less than the recommended 8 hours/night (27.7% vs 19.6%, P = .05). Conclusions This study profiles the sleep experiences of 11‐ to 16‐year‐old farm adolescents. Almost 1 in 3 of these adolescents did not get adequate sleep. Older adolescents who lived or worked on a farm slept less than comparably aged nonfarm adolescents. This may reflect their participation in morning chores essential to the farm operation and may increase their injury risk.

Role of Living Conditions and Socioenvironmental Factors on Chronotype in Adolescents

“…In subtropical countries like India, farming activities usually start early in the morning to avoid mid-day heat [41]; therefore, morning orientation is common among farmers in rural areas. One recent study on farm adolescents between 11 and 16 years of age showed that 30% of adolescents had inadequate sleep compared to nonfarm adolescents [34]. Children from a farming background typically follow family practice and are often more morning oriented than those from nonfarming families.…”

“…Sleep behaviour in minors is also influenced by family conditions [28,30], having a sibling [31], and daytime outdoor activities [32,33]. It has also been reported that farm children experience more sleep disturbance overall than nonfarm children [34].…”

Working hours, sleep, and fatigue in the agriculture, forestry, and fishing sector: A scoping review

“…On family farms, owner/operators, 51 their spouses, or their older children may work an additional job off the farm, which was shown to increase risk of injury 98,99 . Children who work on farms may be more sleep‐deprived than their nonfarm peers 100 . Women who live on farms may work especially long hours as they may work an additional job off the farm, and help out on the farm, in addition to household/child‐rearing duties 101 .…”

“…Among AgFF workers, there are disparities related to work hours, sleep, and fatigue among older workers, 75,105‐108 younger workers, 37,39,98,100 new workers, 71,86 and foreign‐born workers 96,102,108,109 putting these populations at higher risk for fatigue related injury and illness. Lizer and Petrea found older farmers worked longer hours than expected compared to those age 55+ in other occupations, especially during the spring and fall seasons, averaging 10–12h days, 105 but longer work hours were not associated with increased injury in the same sample 91 .…”

“…98,99 Children who work on farms may be more sleepdeprived than their nonfarm peers. 100 Women who live on farms may work especially long hours as they may work an additional job off the farm, and help out on the farm, in addition to household/child-rearing duties. 101 Farm owner-operators' and their spouses who worked longer hours were more likely to say their children were involved in activities/tasks which are known causes of farm injury.…”