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The Relationship of School Start Times, Sleep Duration and Mental Health among a Representative Sample of High School Students in Colorado, 2019

Author

Listed:
  • Lucas M. Neuroth

    (The Center for Injury Research and Policy, Abigail Wexner Research Institute at Nationwide Children’s Hospital, Columbus, OH 43205, USA)

  • Ming Ma

    (Department of Community and Behavioral Health, Colorado School of Public Health, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO 80045, USA)

  • Ashley Brooks-Russell

    (Department of Community and Behavioral Health, Colorado School of Public Health, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO 80045, USA)

  • Motao Zhu

    (The Center for Injury Research and Policy, Abigail Wexner Research Institute at Nationwide Children’s Hospital, Columbus, OH 43205, USA
    Division of Epidemiology, College of Public Health, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH 43210, USA
    Department of Pediatrics, College of Medicine, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH 43205, USA)

Abstract

This cross-sectional study utilized responses from 46,537 students enrolled in grades 9 through 12 in 166 high schools across the state of Colorado via the 2019 Healthy Kids Colorado Survey to: (1) quantify the association between high school start times and student sleep duration and (2) investigate the associations between school start times and student mental health. Descriptive and bivariate analyses were used to investigate associations between school start times and self-reported demographic, sleep, and mental health factors. Survey-weighted multivariate regression modeling was used to investigate associations between school start times, sleep duration, and mental health. Schools with late start times (≥8:30 a.m.) saw 32.2% (95% Confidence Interval: 29.5–35.0) of students sleeping 8 h or more relative to 23.2% (22.0–24.4) in schools with very early start times (<8:00 a.m.). For every 15 min later school start time, students’ sleep duration was 4.6 (3.4–5.9) min longer. Students attending schools with very early start times had 1.10 (0.95–1.27) times the odds of attempting suicide compared to those attending schools with later start times, while students at schools with early starts (8:00–8:29 a.m.) were associated with 1.11 (0.98–1.27) times the odds. Schools with later school start times had a statistically significantly higher proportion of students sleeping 8+ hours. Schools with start times before 8:30 a.m. had 10–11% higher odds of students attempting suicide compared to schools with late start times, though these differences were not statistically significant. Student mental health should continue to be investigated when assessing the potential impacts of delayed school start times.

Suggested Citation

  • Lucas M. Neuroth & Ming Ma & Ashley Brooks-Russell & Motao Zhu, 2021. "The Relationship of School Start Times, Sleep Duration and Mental Health among a Representative Sample of High School Students in Colorado, 2019," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(11), pages 1-11, May.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jijerp:v:18:y:2021:i:11:p:5708-:d:562602
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Robert Marx & Emily E Tanner‐Smith & Colleen M Davison & Lee‐Anne Ufholz & John Freeman & Ravi Shankar & Lisa Newton & Robert S Brown & Alyssa S Parpia & Ioana Cozma & Shawn Hendrikx, 2017. "Later school start times for supporting the education, health, and well‐being of high school students: a systematic review," Campbell Systematic Reviews, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 13(1), pages 1-99.
    2. Paksarian, D. & Rudolph, K.E. & He, J.-P. & Merikangas, K.R., 2015. "School start time and adolescent sleep patterns: Results from the US National Comorbidity Survey-adolescent supplement," American Journal of Public Health, American Public Health Association, vol. 105(7), pages 1351-1357.
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