LAUSR

Poor sleep quality is associated with reduced health-related quality of life (HRQL) for children with Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia (ALL). Research has yet to evaluate how components of child sleep quality uniquely contribute to HRQL beyond demographic characteristics. This study evaluates features of sleep and the relationship between sleep and HRQL for children in the maintenance phase of ALL treatment. 89 caregivers (ages 20-52, M=35.95, SD=7.10) of children with ALL (ages 3-12, M=5.73, SD=2.21; 13.76 months from diagnosis) completed demographic questionnaires and reports of child sleep quality (Child Sleep Habits Questionnaire; CSHQ), and 64 caregivers reported on child HRQL (Pediatric Quality of Life Inventory). Descriptive statistics were calculated. T-tests compared CSHQ subscales to ratings of healthy normative values. Pearson correlations evaluated associations between sleep and overall HRQL. Hierarchical regression assessed whether CSHQ subscales uniquely predicted HRQL beyond demographic characteristics. This sample reported greater bedtime resistance [t(88)=6.413, p<.001], sleep onset delay [t(88)=3.180, p=.002], sleep anxiety [t(88)=4.271, p<.001], night awakenings [t(88)=6.031, p<.001], parasomnias [t(88)=3.900, p<.001], and daytime sleepiness [t(87)=1.781, p=.078] than normative values, although sleep duration [t(88)=1.781, p=.078] and sleep disordered breathing (SDB) [t(88)=-.061, p=.951] did not differ. HRQL was related to SDB (r=-.289, p=.021), bedtime resistance (r=-.263, p=.036), and total sleep score (r=-.34, p=.006). The regression model with SDB and bedtime resistance explained 24.2% of variance but was not significant [F(6,31)=1.651, p=.167]. Caregiver ratings showed greater sleep impairments for children in this sample than of norms. Sleep subscales were associated with HRQL, but did not predict HRQL beyond demographic factors. Caregiver reports of child sleep and HRQL may vary depending on when during the monthly chemotherapy cycle questionnaires were completed. SDB did not differ from normative values but was related to HRQL, suggesting the need to screen for SDB symptoms to potentially improve child outcomes. This study was supported by funding from the American Cancer Society PF-13-238-01-PCSM (PI: Daniel).