Diane Muller

Citation

Thesis Title
Social Determinants of Preschoolers' Sleep Health in Aotearoa/New Zealand: A Mixed Methods Study

Ethnic and socioeconomic inequities exist in adult sleep in Aotearoa/New Zealand, however little is known about the social patterning of children's sleep. Ms Muller conducted a mixed methods study within the Moe Kura: Mother and Child, Sleep and Wellbeing in Aotearoa/New Zealand research programme. Kaupapa Māori research principles, social determinants of health and socioecological theoretical lenses informed the study. She investigated associations between ethnicity, socioeconomic position and sleep of 340 Māori and 570 non-Māori preschoolers using log-binomial regression models. In addition, she interviewed 15 Māori and 16 non-Māori mothers with low and high socioeconomic position and analysed data using thematic analysis. Her findings revealed that ethnic and socioeconomic inequities exist in preschoolers' sleep health and social determinants of children's sleep included institutional racism, material and financial resources, employment, housing, social support, early childhood education and health services. Action is required to address the socio-political drivers of preschooler sleep inequities.

Supervisors
Professor Leigh Signal
Dr Sarah-Jane Paine
Dr Lora Wu