Self-Reported Sleep Duration and Timing: A Methodological Review of Event Definitions, Context, and Timeframe of Related Questions

Details

• Personal Author:
  Barger LK ; Czeisler, Charles A. ; Fray-Witzer M ; Klerman EB ; Quan SF ; Redline S ; Robbins R ; Weaver MD ; Zhang Y
• Description:
  Study objectives: Clinical and population health recommendations are derived from studies that include self-report. Differences in question wording and response scales may significantly affect responses. We conducted a methodological review assessing variation in event definition(s), context (i.e., work- versus free-day), and timeframe (e.g., "in the past 4 weeks") of sleep timing/duration questions. Methods: We queried databases of sleep, medicine, epidemiology, and psychology studies for survey-based research and/or publications with sleep duration/timing questions. The text of these questions was thematically analyzed. Results: We identified 53 surveys with sample sizes ranging from 93 to 1,185,106. For sleep duration questions, participants reported nocturnal sleep (24 of 44 questions), sleep in the past 24-hours (14/44), their major sleep episode (3/44), or answered unaided (3/44). For bedtime questions, participants reported time into bed (19/47), first attempt to sleep (16/40), or fall-asleep time (12/47). For wake-time questions, participants reported wake-up time (30/43), the time they "get up" (7/43), or their out-of-bed time (6/43). Context guidance appeared in 18/44 major sleep duration, 35/47 bedtime, and 34/43 wake-time questions. Timeframe was provided in 8/44 major sleep episode duration, 16/47 bedtime, and 10/43 wake-time questions. One question queried the method of awakening (e.g., by alarm clock), 18 questions assessed sleep latency, and 12 measured napping. Conclusion: There is variability in the event definition(s), context, and timeframe of questions relating to sleep. This work informs efforts at data harmonization for meta-analyses, provides options for question wording, and identifies potential questions for future surveys. [Description provided by NIOSH]
• Subjects:
  Circadian Rhythm Epidemiology Occupational Health Public Health Safety Sleep Sleep Initiation And Maintenance Disorders Surveys And Questionnaires
• Keywords:
  Author Keywords: Sleep Research Biological Rhythms Circadian Rhythm Circadian Rhythms Data Processing Population Based Studies Public Health Questionnaires Research Methods Sleep Assessment Sleep Disorders Statistical Quality Control Survey Research

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• ISSN:
  2667-3436
• Document Type:
  Text
• Funding:
  Grant
• Genre:
  Journal Article
• Place as Subject:
  Massachusetts ; OSHA Region 1 ; Vermont
• CIO:
  National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH)
• Topic:
  Workplace Safety & Health
• Location:
  North America
• Volume:
  1
• NIOSHTIC Number:
  nn:20065965
• Citation:
  Sleep Epidemiol 2021 Dec; 1:100016
• Contact Point Address:
  Rebecca Robbins, 221 Longwood Avenue, Boston, MA 02115
• Email:
  rrobbins4@bwh.harvard.edu
• Federal Fiscal Year:
  2022
• NORA Priority Area:
  Healthcare and Social Assistance
• Performing Organization:
  Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts
• Peer Reviewed:
  True
• Start Date:
  20190901
• Source Full Name:
  Sleep Epidemiology
• End Date:
  20230831
• Collection(s):
  National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health
• Main Document Checksum:
  urn:sha-512:63f35dabaa33871505aab8cfc2f791db0e6ae924189f1c58ab12d1cea35494fb627019e1415a10d7e92e17558b1e7eea80726facfbe11f080b318366b4d461a5
• Download URL:
  https://stacks.cdc.gov/view/cdc/209058/cdc_209058_DS1.pdf
• File Type:
  [PDF - 782.86 KB ]