Background: In children and adolescents with Type 1 Diabetes Mellitus (T1DM), disrupted sleep such as frequent nighttime awakenings can impair daily functioning and glycemic control, creating a harmful cycle that affects overall health and treatment adherence. Objective: To elucidate the relationships between health-related variables, sociodemographic factors, and the prevalence of sleep problems in children and adolescents with T1DM and to identify significant correlates. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted from January to June 2024, involving 248 children and adolescents with T1DM in Abha, Saudi Arabia. Participants were recruited using consecutive sampling of eligible patients attending the clinic until the sample size of 248 was met. Participants aged 6– 18 years with confirmed T1DM were included, excluding those with other types of diabetes or comorbid sleep problems. Data collection involved validated sleep assessments, demographic surveys, and evaluations of diabetes-related factors during routine clinic visits. Chi-square analysis was employed to assess associations, with statistical significance set at P≤ 0.05 using Python Jupyter Notebook. Results: Among children with T1DM (mean age 10– 12 years; 86.29% male), 37.5% had sleep problems. About 45.16% had glucose levels between 6– 8 mmol/L, and 48.79% tested daily. Nearly 48% were exposed to household smoking. Significant associations were found between sleep disturbance and guardian marital status (P=0.045), education level (P=0.001), household income (P< 0.001), glucose levels (P< 0.001), testing frequency (P< 0.001), and passive smoking (P=0.001). No link was observed with insulin method or comorbidities. Conclusion: This study reveals a complex interplay of factors associated with sleep problems in children with T1DM. The findings highlight the importance of considering environmental factors (such as secondhand smoke), socioeconomic status, and glycemic control in T1DM management. Keywords: sleep problems, children, adolescents, type 1 diabetes mellitus, prevalence, Saudi Arabia
Alqahtani et al. (Mon,) studied this question.