Title : Parental knowledge, attitude and practices toward children’s snoring in school-aged children in China: A cross-sectional study
Abstract:
Children snoring is a prevalent issue that can signal underlying obstructive sleep apnea, potentially leading to significant neurocognitive and behavioral morbidity if left unaddressed. Parents play a crucial gatekeeping role in recognizing symptoms and seeking medical evaluation. However, limited research exists on the comprehensive understanding of parental factors that influence care-seeking behaviors for pediatric sleep-disordered breathing in China. This study aimed to assess the levels of knowledge, attitude, and practices (KAP) towards children snoring among parents of school-aged children and to explore the factors associated with their practices. A multistage stratified sampling method was used to recruit 1991 parents of school-aged children from seven major geographical regions in China between September and October 2025. Participants completed a general information questionnaire, the KAP of Parents towards Children Snoring Scale. A total of 1,152 valid questionnaires were analyzed. The findings revealed that parental KAP towards children snoring was at a moderate level. And the parental KAP towards children snoring was influenced by identity, parental age, education, occupation, geographic region, family residence, weekly frequency of physical activities with the child, and sought medical consultation or treatment for the snoring. The findings underscore an urgent need for targeted public health education initiatives. Healthcare providers and policymakers should develop accessible and culturally sensitive educational materials to bridge this knowledge gap. By enhancing parental health literacy, particularly among lower socio-economic groups, we can promote earlier recognition of pathological snoring and facilitate timely medical intervention, ultimately safeguarding the long-term health and developmental outcomes of children.
