0841 TigerCHAT: Sleep and Cellphone Access in Rural Elementary School Children

Abstract Introduction There is increasing awareness of the importance of sleep for health and wellness in children, and the impact technology has on sleep. However, many children are not getting the necessary sleep for optimal school functioning. The purpose of this project is to describe cellphone access, placement at night, and bedtime in 8–9-year-olds attending an elementary school in a rural area. Methods TigerCHAT is a school-based health education outreach program for children K-6th grades. It focuses on 45-minute sessions addressing various health topics, including sleep. Data are collected after IRB approval. In fall of 2022, nursing students led small groups of students in a sleep educational module during their gym period. Before education began, 50 3rd- grade students filled in a questionnaire regarding phone usage (do they have one, location during bedtime, bedtime and wake time). Results Frequencies, percentages, and ANOVA were run on the data to describe sleep and phone placement during the nighttime. Children ages 8-9 years (n = 50, 49% female, 51% male, 91.2% White, 8.4% Black, 46.4% classified as economically disadvantaged, 41% receive free or reduced lunch). Over half reported having a cellphone (n=31, 62% yes; n=19, 38% no). Of those with a cellphone, eleven (22%) reported having it under or by pillow, 11 (22%) reported having it on the bedside table, and 9 (18%) reported it not in their room at night. There was no significant difference in bedtime between those with a phone or without (F=.696, p=.402,) or where cellphone was located (in vs outside room) (F=1.55, p=.277). Children self-reported an average bedtime of 9:12pm (range 7:30pm-1am), and an average wake time of 5:15am (range 4:30am-6:30am), with an average total sleep time of 8.3 hours (range 4-10 hours). Conclusion The majority of students in this sample reported having access to a cellphone, and also reported having the cellphone close to them at night. While there was no significant difference in bedtime based on location or having a phone in this sample, it is still an important aspect of the sleep environment. Future studies should examine the significance of nighttime cellphone placement for school age and adolescent populations. Support (if any)