Associated Factors for Maintaining Infants’ Daily Life Rhythm - Abstract
Introduction: This study aimed to examine factors associated with the attitudes of parents of 6-month-old infants, with respect to maintaining a daily life rhythm for their child.
Methods: Cross-tabulated data from nationwide cross-sectional surveys (the Longitudinal Survey of Newborns in the 21st Century), conducted in 2001 and 2010 by the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare of Japan, were used for analysis using a logistic regression model.
Results: We analyzed data of 47,010 infants from 2001 (response rate 87.7%) and 38,554 infants (response rate 88.1%) from 2010. The percentage of parents with positive attitudes towards maintaining a daily life rhythm for their baby was 53.7% in 2001, and increased to 63.1% in 2010. In both years, higher annual family income (over 6 million yen) was associated with parents’ attitude towardstheir infant’s daily life rhythm (odds ratio [OR] 1.43, 1.58; 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.29–1.58, 1.38–1.80; p<0.001, in respective years). Working mothers under childcare leave were more inclined to maintain their baby’s daily rhythm as compared with nonworking mothers (OR 1.22, 95% CI 1.15–1.30, p < 0.001;OR 1.16, 95% CI 1.10–1.22, p < 0.001, respectively). In situations where there were older sibling(s), parents were less likely to maintain a daily rhythm for their infant (OR 0.80, 95% CI 0.77–0.83, p < 0.001;OR 0.49, 95% CI 0.47–0.51, p < 0.001, respectively).
Conclusion: Family income and the working status of mothers were associated with parental attitudes towards maintaining infant’s daily life rhythm in this study.