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Abstract #166652

Renee M. Johnson, PhD, MPH¹, Nancy White Street, MS, APRN, BC², Deborah Azrael, PhD¹, and Beth E. Molnar, ScD². (1) Harvard Injury Control Research Center, Harvard School of Public Health, 677 Huntington Ave, Kresge Room 306, Boston, MA 02115, 617-432-1209, rejohnso@hsph.harvard.edu, (2) Dept of Society, Human Development and Health, Harvard University School of Public Health, 677 Huntington Ave, 6th floor, Boston, MA 02115

OBJECTIVE: To examine the association between number of hours of sleep and aggressive behavior among adolescents. METHODS: Data come from a stratified random sample of high school students in Boston, MA who completed the paper-and-pencil survey during class in 2006. Outcome variables include past month prevalence of: (1) verbal aggression (i.e., having had a yelling argument with a non-family member), (2) moderate aggression (i.e., having pushed, shoved, or slapped someone), and (3) serious aggression (i.e., having hit, punched, kicked or choked someone). Hours of sleep was computed using students' reports of what time they usually go to bed on weeknights, and what time they need to get up to be on time for school. We examined the association between aggression and hours of sleep, and present unadjusted risk ratios (RR). Generalized linear multi-level models that account for school factors will be presented later. RESULTS: Of the 1,215 respondents, 57% were female, 30% were Hispanic, 47% were Non-Hispanic Black, and 13% were Non-Hispanic White. Only 7.3% could get more than 8 hours of sleep; 86% had to be up by 6 am to be on time for school. Students who got =<6 hours were more likely to display serious aggression (42.8%) compared to those with got =>8 hours (30.1%; RR = 1.42, 95% CI = 1.16-1.74). Results were similar for verbal aggression. DISCUSSION: Results suggest that aggressive behavior is inversely related to hours of sleep. Changes in policies regarding early school start times should be considered.

Learning Objectives:

• Recognize the detrimental effects sleep deprivation has on adolescent health.
• Articulate the associate between hours of sleep and aggressive behavior.
• Identify strategies to prevent adolescent sleep deprivation.

Keywords: Youth Violence, Risk Factors

Related Web page: www.hsph.harvard.edu/hyvpc/bostondataproject.html

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

Any relevant financial relationships? No
Any institutionally-contracted trials related to this submission?

I agree to comply with the American Public Health Association Conflict of Interest and Commercial Support Guidelines, and to disclose to the participants any off-label or experimental uses of a commercial product or service discussed in my presentation.