Sleep patterns in Hong Kong children with cancer compared with healthy peers and children with other chronic illnesses
Sleep Disturbance in Hong Kong Children With Cancer: A Cross-Sectional Study Comparing Healthy Counterparts and Children With Other Chronic Diseases
This project will test whether Chinese children aged 6–18 with cancer in Hong Kong have more or worse sleep problems than healthy children and children with other chronic illnesses.
Quick facts
| Study type | Observational |
|---|---|
| Enrollment | 150 (estimated) |
| Ages | 6 Years to 18 Years |
| Sex | All |
| Sponsor | Chinese University of Hong Kong Academic / other |
| Drugs / interventions | chemotherapy, radiation, immunotherapy |
| Locations | 1 site (Hong Kong) |
| Trial ID | NCT07122921 on ClinicalTrials.gov |
What this trial studies
This is a prospective, cross-sectional comparison of sleep in three groups of Chinese children (50 with cancer, 50 with other chronic illnesses, and 50 healthy peers) recruited at Hong Kong Children's Hospital. Sleep quality will be measured using the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (global PSQI >5 defining poor sleep) and parental reports, while health-related quality of life will be measured with the PedsQL. Demographic and clinical variables (age, sex, socioeconomic status, disease type/status, and hypnotic use) will be collected to explore contributors to sleep disturbance. Group differences in prevalence and component scores will be analyzed to identify patterns unique to children with cancer.
Who should consider this trial
Good fit: Chinese children aged 6–18 years who are either hospitalized and actively receiving cancer-directed therapy at Hong Kong Children's Hospital, or age-matched peers with other chronic diseases or healthy children willing to complete sleep and quality-of-life questionnaires are ideal candidates.
Not a fit: Children outside the 6–18 age range, those not reachable at Hong Kong Children's Hospital, children not receiving active cancer treatment, or those without reliable self-report or caregiver proxy information are unlikely to be included or benefit directly from this study.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, the results could guide personalized sleep-support interventions to improve sleep and overall quality of life for children undergoing cancer treatment.
How similar studies have performed: Previous research has documented sleep problems in children with chronic illnesses including cancer, but direct head-to-head comparisons with healthy peers and detailed characterization to guide tailored interventions remain limited.
Eligibility criteria
Show full inclusion / exclusion criteria
Inclusion Criteria: 1. Children with Cancer (n=50) Participants in this group will be children with a confirmed cancer diagnosis, such as leukemia, lymphoma, or solid tumors, who are currently hospitalized for treatment at the inpatient oncology wards of Hong Kong Children's Hospital. Eligible participants must be actively receiving cancer-directed therapy (e.g., chemotherapy, radiation) during their hospital stay. Inclusion criteria require that participants, or their parents or legal guardians as proxies, can provide accurate reports about sleep patterns, either through self-assessment or observation, ensuring reliable data collection. This group will capture the acute impact of cancer treatment and hospitalization on sleep, a critical focus of the study. 2. Children with Other Chronic Illnesses (n=50) This group will comprise children diagnosed with chronic conditions other than cancer, such as asthma, type 1 diabetes, or chronic kidney disease, recruited from the cardiac, nephrology, and mixed wards of Hong Kong Children's Hospital. These illnesses are selected for their known potential to disrupt sleep-e.g., nocturnal asthma symptoms or glucose instability-while differing in pathophysiology from cancer. Participants must be under active management for their condition and currently hospitalized, but must not have a history of primary sleep disorders (e.g., narcolepsy, obstructive sleep apnea) unrelated to their chronic illness. This criterion ensures that observed sleep disturbances are attributable to the chronic condition rather than pre-existing sleep pathology. 3. Healthy Children (n=50) The healthy control group will be of adequate sample size. These include siblings of pediatric patients (both oncology and non-oncology wards), and children of hospital staff (e.g., nurses, administrative personnel). Inclusion criteria require no history of chronic illness, psychiatric disorders, or known sleep conditions. Parental consent and child assent will be obtained for all participants. Exclusion Criteria: Across all three groups, children will be excluded if they are not Chinese and are in intensive care units. Children who exhibit severe cognitive impairments that preclude accurate reporting of sleep experiences, either by themselves or their parents or legal guardians, will be excluded. Additionally, participants with neurological conditions known to independently affect sleep, such as epilepsy or cerebral palsy, will be excluded to avoid confounding the primary relationship between chronic illness and sleep disturbances. The use of sedative medications unrelated to the participant's primary condition (e.g., for behavioral management rather than cancer treatment) will also disqualify participants, as these could artificially alter sleep patterns and obscure study outcomes. These exclusion criteria ensure that sleep disturbances observed are primarily linked to the participants' health status rather than extraneous factors.
Where this trial is running
Hong Kong
- Hong Kong Children's Hospital — Hong Kong, Hong Kong (Recruiting)
Study contacts
- Study coordinator: Shuk Yan Mak
- Email: 1155203294@link.cuhk.edu.hk
- Phone: (852)62229509
How to participate
- Review the eligibility criteria above with your treating physician.
- Visit the official trial page on ClinicalTrials.gov for the most current contact information and recruitment status.
- Contact the listed study coordinator or principal investigator to request pre-screening. Pre-screening is free and never obligates you to enroll.