Referral Practices for Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Insomnia: A Survey Study

Knowledge, attitude, and practice of chronic insomnia management among general practitioners in China: a cross-sectional survey

BACKGROUND

Chronic insomnia is a common yet often overlooked issue in primary health care. This study investigated the knowledge, attitude, and practices of chronic insomnia management among general practitioners (GPs).

METHODS

A cross-sectional online survey was conducted among GPs providing routine care to adults with insomnia in health facilities at all levels in Sichuan Province, China. Additionally, we designed an online questionnaire that included basic information and knowledge, attitudes, and practices regarding chronic insomnia management.

RESULTS

We included 420 GPs, 66.2% of whom were female and 58.1% were from community health service centers. Total 198 (47.1%) GPs had received specific training and only 2 GPs (0.5%) correctly answered the knowledge-related questions. Furthermore, only 44 GPs (10.5%) demonstrated excellent practice behaviors, while most GPs (70.2%) expressed high demand for training in insomnia management. Insomnia training experience was associated with higher practice scores (β = 3.318, p < 0.001).

CONCLUSION

This study established an association and correlation between knowledge, attitude, and practice scores in treating insomnia and the sociodemographic characteristics of GPs in China. Although knowledge and practice performance in this field need to be improved, they mostly displayed a positive attitude towards insomnia management. Thus, offering continuing education opportunities to GPs would be highly beneficial.

Efficacy of eHealth Versus In-Person Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Insomnia: Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Equivalence

BACKGROUND

Insomnia is a prevalent condition with significant health, societal, and economic impacts. Cognitive behavioral therapy for insomnia (CBTI) is recommended as the first-line treatment. With limited accessibility to in-person-delivered CBTI (ipCBTI), electronically delivered eHealth CBTI (eCBTI), ranging from telephone- and videoconference-delivered interventions to fully automated web-based programs and mobile apps, has emerged as an alternative. However, the relative efficacy of eCBTI compared to ipCBTI has not been conclusively determined.

OBJECTIVE

This study aims to test the comparability of eCBTI and ipCBTI through a systematic review and meta-analysis of equivalence based on randomized controlled trials directly comparing the 2 delivery formats.

METHODS

A comprehensive search across multiple databases was conducted, leading to the identification and analysis of 15 unique randomized head-to-head comparisons of ipCBTI and eCBTI. Data on sleep and nonsleep outcomes were extracted and subjected to both conventional meta-analytical methods and equivalence testing based on predetermined equivalence margins derived from previously suggested minimal important differences. Supplementary Bayesian analyses were conducted to determine the strength of the available evidence.

RESULTS

The meta-analysis included 15 studies with a total of 1083 participants. Conventional comparisons generally favored ipCBTI. However, the effect sizes were small, and the 2 delivery formats were statistically significantly equivalent (P<.05) for most sleep and nonsleep outcomes. Additional within-group analyses showed that both formats led to statistically significant improvements (P<.05) in insomnia severity; sleep quality; and secondary outcomes such as fatigue, anxiety, and depression. Heterogeneity analyses highlighted the role of treatment duration and dropout rates as potential moderators of the differences in treatment efficacy.

CONCLUSIONS

eCBTI and ipCBTI were found to be statistically significantly equivalent for treating insomnia for most examined outcomes, indicating eCBTI as a clinically relevant alternative to ipCBTI. This supports the expansion of eCBTI as a viable option to increase accessibility to effective insomnia treatment. Nonetheless, further research is needed to address the limitations noted, including the high risk of bias in some studies and the potential impact of treatment duration and dropout rates on efficacy.

TRIAL REGISTRATION

PROSPERO CRD42023390811; https://www.crd.york.ac.uk/prospero/display_record.php?RecordID=390811.

Representation of race and ethnicity among cancer survivors in trials of cognitive behavioral therapy for insomnia (CBT-I): A systematic review

PURPOSE

For cancer survivors, insomnia is highly prevalent and debilitating. Although cognitive behavioral therapy for insomnia (CBT-I) is recognized as a gold standard treatment, it is unclear whether benefits of treatment generalize to racial and ethnic minorities in the USA. This systematic review characterizes the representation of racial and ethnic diversity among cancer survivors in CBT-I clinical trials and provides recommendations for research in sleep/cancer survivorship.

METHODS

Literature searches were conducted in five electronic databases (PubMed, Cochrane Library via Ovid, PsycINFO via Ovid, Embase, Web of Science Core Collection) using concepts of CBT, insomnia, and cancer survivors. Information about CBT-I intervention details, sample racial demographics, and whether authors explicitly analyzed race and ethnicity were recorded.

RESULTS

A total of 1673 citations were retrieved, and 967 citations were uploaded to Covidence. Of these, 135 articles went through full-text review and 13 studies were included. Race and ethnicity were reported in 11/13 trials (84.6%). Of those reporting race and ethnicity, 8/11 (72.7%) trials were comprised of samples that were ≥ 85% non-Hispanic White. Among the trials that explicitly analyzed race and ethnicity, CBT-I was more effective among cancer survivors who were White and highly educated, and non-White cancer survivors were less likely to have private insurance and ability to participate in clinical trials.

CONCLUSION

Non-Hispanic White cancer survivors are overrepresented in CBT-I trials, the best available treatment for insomnia. Underrepresentation of racial and ethnic minorities likely contributes to barriers in access and uptake. Recommendations include implementing sustained efforts to expand diversity in CBT-I clinical trials for cancer survivors.

Examining the barriers and recommendations for integrating more equitable insomnia treatment options in primary care

Chronic insomnia is the most common sleep disorder, occurring in ~32 million people in the United States per annum. Acute insomnia is even more prevalent, affecting nearly half of adults at some point each year. The prevalence of insomnia among primary care patients is even higher. The problem, however, is that most primary care providers do not feel adequately knowledgeable or equipped to treat sleep-related concerns. Many providers have never heard of or have not been trained in cognitive behavioral therapy for insomnia or CBT-I (the first line treatment for insomnia). The focus of the current review is to summarize the factors contributing to why sleep health and insomnia treatment have been mostly neglected, identify how this has contributed to disparities in sleep health among certain groups, particularly racial and ethnic minorities and discuss considerations or potential areas of exploration that may improve access to behavioral sleep health interventions, particularly in primary care.

Therapist-Assisted Internet-Delivered Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Insomnia: A Case Report

Despite its well-documented efficacy, few clinicians are trained to deliver Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Insomnia (CBT-I), and it remains an inaccessible treatment. Therapist-Assisted Internet-Delivered Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Insomnia (TAI-CBT-I) holds promise for overcoming barriers to accessing this evidence-based treatment. However, to date, there have been no case reports published that describe how to deliver TAI-CBT-I. This case report fills in this gap by illustrating the application and utility of such a treatment on an asynchronous platform. We report on a course of TAI-CBT-I for a 34-year-old Caribbean Canadian male who presented with chronic insomnia characterized by difficulty falling and staying asleep, night awakenings, and reduced helpfulness from medication. Self-report measures of sleep, depression, functioning and ability, and therapist satisfaction were administered throughout treatment, post-discharge, and at follow-up. Improvement was noted across all measures. This case report demonstrates that TAI-CBT-I can be an effective treatment for chronic insomnia and showcases how to deliver it.

Who to Refer to a Behavioral Insomnia Clinic? - Recommendations Based on Treatment Rationale and Response Prediction

Purpose of Review

Response to cognitive-behavioral therapy for insomnia (CBT-I) is variable across individuals, and specialty insomnia clinics that provide CBT-I are few. To personalize insomnia treatments and maximize the cost-effectiveness of CBT-I, this paper reviews the conceptual model and content of CBT-I and the predictors of adherence/response to CBT-I as the basis for understanding who is most likely to benefit from CBT-I.

Recent Findings

Specific patient-related attributes that predict benefit from CBT-I include (1) presence of maladaptive behaviors that serve as perpetuating factors of insomnia; (2) greater motivation to pursue therapy and higher treatment expectancies regarding CBT-I; (3) reduced use of hypnotics; (4) longer sleep duration; and (5) adequately treated psychiatric comorbidities.

Summary

People presenting with chronic insomnia and these attributes may warrant prioritization in referral to behavioral insomnia clinics. Conversely, those who do not have such favorable characteristics may require interventions that address modifiable factors associated with poor adherence/response to CBT-I.

The association of hypnotics with incident cardiovascular disease and mortality in older women with sleep disturbances

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVE

Insomnia is common in older women and is associated with higher cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk. Nonbenzodiazepine GABA agonists (Z-drugs) are the most commonly prescribed sleep aids. The study objective was to determine whether the use of Z-drugs is associated with the risk of developing CVD and mortality in older women with sleep disturbances.

PATIENTS/METHODS

The study cohort included post-menopausal women who, at baseline, scored ≥9 with the Women's Health Initiative Insomnia Rating Scale (N = 40,728). Members of the cohort were categorized as users of Z-drugs, users of other prescription hypnotics, or non-users. Outcomes were composite CVD (congestive heart failure, stroke, and fatal/non-fatal myocardial infarction) and mortality. Hazard ratios were estimated from Cox proportional hazards regression models adjusted for demographics, medical history, and sleep measures. To address potential confounding by indication, we also adjusted for propensity to be prescribed hypnotics.

RESULTS

The mean age of our cohort was 63.57 years (SD = 7.23) and mean follow-up time after the initial follow-up visit was 14.0 years (SD = 6.3). Z-drug use was significantly associated with an increased risk of composite CVD (HR = 1.35, 95%CI: 1.02-1.79) and all-cause mortality (HR = 1.38, 95%CI: 1.13-1.69). When groups were divided by heavy and casual use, only heavy users (≥3 times per week) had an increased risk of mortality.

CONCLUSIONS

Z-drugs use was associated with an increased risk for death and CVD in post-menopausal women being treated for sleep disturbances. Additional research is needed to evaluate both frequency and duration of Z-drug use.

Primary care provider evaluation and management of insomnia

STUDY OBJECTIVES

To evaluate the type and extent of information collected from patients with insomnia during their first office encounter for insomnia and the prescribing therapies of primary care providers during this initial encounter.

METHODS

This study was a retrospective chart review of randomly selected patients who had a primary care provider office visit at any clinic affiliated with a university medical system between March 1, 2013, and March 1, 2016. Demographic and clinical information was abstracted for analysis.

RESULTS

Our sample (n = 200) was primarily female (63.5%), White (69%), middle-aged (ages 44.6 ± 15.1 years) adults. Most (68.5%) encounter notes did not have significant information related to insomnia risk factors and symptoms (< 50% of the notes). When examining comorbidities, we found that younger patients (<45 years old) were more likely to have anxiety linked to insomnia (P = .025), whereas older patients (≥45) were less likely to have any identified comorbidities associated with insomnia (P = .009). Only 5.0% of patients with insomnia were referred for cognitive-behavioral therapy for insomnia, whereas 51.5% of patients were prescribed sleep medications. The younger cohort was statistically more likely to receive sleep hygiene or cognitive-behavioral therapy for insomnia as a treatment option in comparison to the older cohort (P = .01 and P = .04, respectively).

CONCLUSIONS

Progress notes from primary care providers tend to have a paucity of information on insomnia symptoms and related comorbidities. Medications are often prescribed as the first-line treatment for insomnia. Cognitive-behavioral therapy for insomnia remains underutilized despite robust evidence suggesting that cognitive-behavioral therapy for insomnia is a safe and effective treatment for insomnia.

Cost-effectiveness of digital cognitive behavioral therapy (Sleepio) for insomnia: a Markov simulation model in the United States

STUDY OBJECTIVES

To examine the cost-effectiveness and potential net monetary benefit (NMB) of a fully automated digital cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) intervention for insomnia compared with no insomnia treatment in the United States (US). Similar relative comparisons were made for pharmacotherapy and clinician-delivered CBT (individual and group).

METHODS

We simulated a Markov model of 100,000 individuals using parameters calibrated from the literature including direct (treatment) and indirect costs (e.g. insomnia-related healthcare expenditure and lost workplace productivity). Health utility estimates were converted into quality-adjusted life years (QALYs) and one QALY was worth $50,000. Simulated individuals were randomized equally to one of five arms (digital CBT, pharmacotherapy, individual CBT, group CBT, or no insomnia treatment). Sensitivity was assessed by bootstrapping the calibrated parameters. Cost estimates were expressed in 2019 US dollars.

RESULTS

Digital CBT was cost beneficial when compared with no insomnia treatment and had a positive NMB of $681.06 (per individual over 6 months). Bootstrap sensitivity analysis demonstrated that the NMB was positive in 94.7% of simulations. Relative to other insomnia treatments, digital CBT was the most cost-effective treatment because it generated the smallest incremental cost-effectiveness ratio (-$3,124.73).

CONCLUSIONS

Digital CBT was the most cost-effective insomnia treatment followed by group CBT, pharmacotherapy, and individual CBT. It is financially prudent and beneficial from a societal perspective to utilize automated digital CBT to treat insomnia at a population scale.

What makes one respond to acupuncture for insomnia? Perspectives of cancer survivors

OBJECTIVE

Like any therapy, acupuncture is effective for some patients, while not helpful for others. Understanding from a patients' perspective what makes one respond or not to acupuncture can help guide further intervention development. This study aimed to identify factors that influence the perception of acupuncture's therapeutic effect among cancer survivors with insomnia.

METHOD

We conducted post-treatment semi-structured interviews with cancer survivors who were randomized to the acupuncture group in a clinical trial for the treatment of insomnia. Survivors were categorized into Responders and Non-Responders to acupuncture treatment based on the change in the Insomnia Severity Index with a reduction of eight points or greater as the cut-off for the response. An integrated approach to data analysis was utilized by merging an a priori set of codes derived from the key ideas and a set of codes that emerged from the data through a grounded theory approach. Codes were examined for themes and patterns.

RESULTS

Among 28 cancer survivors interviewed, 18 (64%) were classified as Responders. Participants perceived the ability to respond to acupuncture as dependent on treatment that effectively: (1) alleviated co-morbidities contributing to insomnia, (2) supported sleep hygiene practices, and (3) provided a durable therapeutic effect. Acupuncture treatment that did not address one of these themes often detracted from positive treatment outcomes and diminished perceived benefit from acupuncture.

SIGNIFICANCE OF RESULTS

We identified patient-perceived contributors to response to acupuncture, such as co-morbid medical conditions, adequate support for sleep hygiene practices, and temporary therapeutic relief. Addressing these factors may improve the overall effectiveness of acupuncture for insomnia.

Advances in the Treatment of Chronic Insomnia: A Narrative Review of New Nonpharmacologic and Pharmacologic Therapies

Chronic insomnia disorder, which affects 6-10% of the population, is diagnostically characterized by ongoing difficulties with initiating or maintaining sleep occurring at least three times per week, persisting for at least 3 months, and associated with daytime impairment. While chronic insomnia is often considered a condition primarily related to impaired sleep, the disorder can also adversely affect domains of physical and mental health, quality of life, and daytime function, which highlights the importance of treating the multidimensional sleep disorder. Owing to misperceptions about the safety and effectiveness of treatment options, many individuals with insomnia may not seek professional treatment, and alternatively use ineffective home remedies or over-the-counter medications to improve sleep. Some physicians may even believe that insomnia is remediated by simply having the patient "get more sleep". Unfortunately, treatment of insomnia is not always that simple. The disorder's complex underlying pathophysiology warrants consideration of different nonpharmacologic and pharmacologic treatment options. Indeed, recent insights gained from research into the pathophysiology of insomnia have facilitated development of newer treatment approaches with more efficacious outcomes. This narrative review provides a summary of the diagnostic criteria and pathophysiology of insomnia and its subtypes. Further, this review emphasizes new and emerging nonpharmacologic and pharmacologic treatments for chronic insomnia, including recent enhancements in approaches to cognitive behavioral therapy for insomnia (CBT-I) and the new dual orexin receptor antagonist (DORA) pharmacologics. These advances in treatment have expanded the treatment options and are likely to result in improved outcomes in patients with chronic insomnia.

Profile of Somryst Prescription Digital Therapeutic for Chronic Insomnia: Overview of Safety and Efficacy

Introduction: Prescription digital therapeutics (PDTs) represent a new class of software-based medical devices authorized by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to treat disease. Somryst™, the first PDT for treating chronic insomnia, delivers cognitive behavioral therapy for insomnia (CBT-I) via a mobile application. CBT-I is the guideline-recommended, first-line treatment for chronic insomnia, but availability of CBT-I therapists is limited. Somryst addresses this need by providing asynchronous access to CBT-I treatment. As a contactless therapeutic medium, Somryst is also an ideal option when face-to-face therapy is not available or recommended for safety reasons (e.g. because of possible exposure to the SARS-CoV-2 virus). Areas covered: This review summarizes the mechanisms of action and technical features of Somryst, and describes safety and effectiveness data from the randomized trials on which FDA clearance was based. Expert opinion: Somryst demonstrates robust clinical efficacy with a favorable benefit-to-risk profile for treating adults with chronic insomnia. FDA clearance was based on data from 2 clinical trials of the first-generation web-based CBT-I platform Sleep Healthy Using the Internet (SHUTi). Somryst, and PDTs in general, are promising devices to address the need for greater accessibility to effective therapies.

Treating insomnia in Swiss primary care practices: A survey study based on case vignettes

Guidelines recommend cognitive behavioural therapy for insomnia (CBT-I) as first-line treatment for chronic insomnia, but it is not clear how many primary care physicians (PCPs) in Switzerland prescribe this treatment. We created a survey that asked PCPs how they would treat chronic insomnia and how much they knew about CBT-I. The survey included two case vignettes that described patients with chronic insomnia, one with and one without comorbid depression. PCPs also answered general questions about treating chronic insomnia and about CBT-I and CBT-I providers. Of the 820 Swiss PCPs we invited, 395 (48%) completed the survey (mean age 54 years; 70% male); 87% of PCPs prescribed sleep hygiene and 65% phytopharmaceuticals for the patient who had only chronic insomnia; 95% prescribed antidepressants for the patient who had comorbid depression. In each case, 20% of PCPs prescribed benzodiazepines or benzodiazepine receptor agonists, 8% prescribed CBT-I, 68% said they knew little about CBT-I, and 78% did not know a CBT-I provider. In the clinical case vignettes, most PCPs treated chronic insomnia with phytopharmaceuticals and sleep hygiene despite their lack of efficacy, but PCPs rarely prescribed CBT-I, felt they knew little about it, and usually knew no CBT-I providers. PCPs need more information about the benefits of CBT-I and local CBT-I providers and dedicated initiatives to implement CBT-I in order to reduce the number of patients who are prescribed ineffective or potentially harmful medications.

Clinician and patient barriers to the recognition of insomnia in family practice: a narrative summary of reported literature analysed using the theoretical domains framework

BACKGROUND

Insomnia is a common sleep complaint, with 10% of adults in the general population experiencing insomnia disorder, defined as lasting longer than three months in DSM-5. Up to 50% of patients attending family practice experience insomnia, however despite this, symptoms of insomnia are not often screened for, or discussed within this setting. We aimed to examine barriers to the assessment and diagnosis of insomnia in family practice from both the clinician and patient perspective.

METHODS

The present article identified research that has examined barriers to assessing insomnia from the clinician's and the client's perspectives following MEDLINE and Google Scholar searches, and then classified these barriers using the theoretical domains framework.

RESULTS

The most common barriers from the clinician's perspective were related to Knowledge, Skills, and the Environmental Context. From the patient perspective, barriers identified included their Beliefs about the consequences of Insomnia, Social Influences, and Behavioural Regulation of Symptoms.

CONCLUSIONS

Utilising this theoretical framework, we discuss options for bridging the gap between the identification and subsequent management of insomnia within the family practice setting. To assist clinicians and those in community health care to overcome the Knowledge and Skills barriers identified, this article provides existing relevant clinical criteria that can be utilised to make a valid diagnosis of insomnia.

Increasing access to and utilization of cognitive behavioral therapy for insomnia (CBT-I): a narrative review

The American College of Physicians (ACP) recently identified cognitive behavioral therapy for insomnia (CBT-I) as the first-line treatment for insomnia. Although CBT-I improves sleep outcomes and reduces the risks associated with reliance on hypnotics, patients are rarely referred to this treatment, especially in primary care where most insomnia treatment is provided. We reviewed the evidence about barriers to CBT-I referrals and efforts to increase the use of CBT-I services. PubMed, PsycINFO, and Embase were searched on January 11, 2018; additional titles were added based on a review of bibliographies and expert opinion and 51 articles were included in the results of this narrative review. Implementation research testing specific interventions to increase routine and sustained use of CBT-I was lacking. Most research focused on pre-implementation work that revealed the complexity of delivering CBT-I in routine healthcare settings due to three distinct categories of barriers. First, system barriers result in limited access to CBT-I and behavioral sleep medicine (BSM) providers. Second, primary care providers are not adequately screening for sleep issues and referring appropriately due to a lack of knowledge, treatment beliefs, and a lack of motivation to assess and treat insomnia. Finally, patient barriers, including a lack of knowledge, treatment beliefs, and limited access, prevent patients from engaging in CBT-I. These findings are organized using a conceptual model to represent the many challenges inherent in providing guideline-concordant insomnia care. We conclude with an agenda for future implementation research to systematically address these challenges.

Screening for Insomnia: An Observational Study Examining Sleep Disturbances, Headache Characteristics, and Psychiatric Symptoms in Patients Visiting a Headache Center

Objective

Effective treatments for insomnia exist, but few physicians treating headaches have routine methods for screening for insomnia. We sought to 1) describe the migraine characteristics and comorbid conditions that can affect sleep and 2) assess their relationships with positive screens on the Insomnia Severity Index (ISI).

Methods

This is a retrospective cross-sectional study of the migraine and sleep characteristics of new patients in our headache center (August 15, 2015-October 28, 2015) who were suspected of having migraines based on the new patient intake questionnaire. The questionnaire included the ISI, questions about headache characteristics, and screens for psychiatric comorbidities. Two tailed t tests and analysis of variance evaluated relationships between headache characteristics, comorbidities, and ISI score.

Results

A total of 61 new patients were suspected to have migraines. The mean number of headache days per month was 11.6. Only 41% of patients reported sleeping seven or more hours; 49.2% had an ISI of 15 or higher (positive screen). Regarding the insomnia scores, there were no differences between moderate and severe headache pain, between episodic and chronic headaches, and between the associated symptoms (nausea/vomiting, photophobia, phonophobia; P > 0.05). Musculoskeletal pain (18.7 vs 13.8, P = 0.027), depression (rho = 0.610), and general anxiety (rho = 0.436) were associated with higher ISI scores.

Conclusions

Nearly half of the patients with suspected migraines in a headache center screened positive for insomnia, independent of whether they had episodic or chronic headaches. This would generate a substantial number of cognitive behavioral therapy for insomnia (CBT-I) referrals. Given the strong association between comorbid musculoskeletal pain, depression, anxiety, and insomnia, we suggest prioritizing CBT-I referral for those patients regardless of their headache frequency.

A Study of The Clinical Effect and Dropout Rate of Drugs Combined with Group Integrated Psychotherapy on Elderly Patients with Depression

Background

Relevant studies have shown that group cognitive behavioral therapy is effective in treating patients with depressive disorder, but the dropout rate is high. The present study is aimed to explore the patterns of integrated group psychotherapy.

Aims

This study investigated the clinical effects of integrated group psychotherapy for elderly patients with senile depression.

Methods

One hundred elderly patients with senile depression were divided into the experiment group (n=50) and the control group (n=50) randomly. The experiment group was given regular pharmacological treatments combined with integrated group psychotherapy, while the control group was given regular pharmacological treatments combined with integrated group cognitive behavioral therapy. These two groups were assessed with the Hamilton Depression Scale (HAMD-24) and Geriatric Depression Scale (GDS-15) before the study and at two weeks, four weeks and eight weeks after the treatments.

Results

According to the comparisons within these two groups, it was found that the HAMD and GDS total scores before treatments were all significantly higher than those after treatments (F=102.50, p=0.001; F=55.94, p<0.001). We found that the HAMD total scores after four weeks and eight weeks were significantly different between the two groups (F=3.82, p=0.021). The differences between two groups’ GDS total scores after two weeks, four weeks and eight weeks were also significantly different (F=4.49, p=0.009). Seven cases dropped out in the experiment group, while sixteen cases dropped out in the control group. The difference of dropout rates was statistically significant (x²=4.57, p=0.032).

Conclusion

Medication treatments combined with the group integrated psychotherapy significantly improve the clinical effect for elderly patients with senile depression. The compliance is improved and the dropout rate declines.

Development of a Sleep Telementorship Program for Rural Department of Veterans Affairs Primary Care Providers: Sleep Veterans Affairs Extension for Community Healthcare Outcomes

RATIONALE

Primary care providers (PCPs) frequently encounter sleep complaints, especially in regions with limited specialty care access.

OBJECTIVES

The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs Extension for Community Healthcare Outcomes (VA-ECHO) program (based on Project ECHO) has successfully provided rural PCP education in subspecialty areas, including hepatitis C. We describe the feasibility of an ECHO program for sleep medicine.

METHODS

ECHO creates a virtual learning community through video-teleconferencing, combining didactics with individualized clinical case review. We invited multidisciplinary providers to attend up to 10 stand-alone, 1-hour sessions. Invitees completed a needs assessment, which guided curriculum development. After program completion, we examined participant characteristics and self-reported changes in practice and comfort with managing sleep complaints. We surveyed participation barriers among invitees with low/no attendance.

MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS

Of the 39 program participants, 38% worked in rural healthcare. Participants included nurse practitioners (26%), registered nurses (21%), and physicians (15%). Seventeen (44%) completed the summative program evaluation. Respondents anticipated practice change from the program, especially in patient education about sleep disorders (93% of respondents). Respondents reported improved comfort managing sleep complaints, especially sleep-disordered breathing, insomnia, and sleep in post-traumatic stress disorder (80% of respondents each). A follow-up survey of program invitees who attended zero to two sessions reported scheduling conflicts (62%) and lack of protected time (52%) as major participation barriers.

CONCLUSIONS

Participants in a pilot sleep medicine VA-ECHO program report practice change and increased comfort managing common sleep complaints. Future work is needed to identify objective measures of return on investment and address participation barriers.

Veterans Affairs Primary Care Provider Perceptions of Insomnia Treatment

STUDY OBJECTIVES

Insomnia is a widespread issue among United States adults and rates of insomnia among veterans are even higher than the general population. Prior research examining primary care provider (PCP) perspectives on insomnia treatment found that: sleep hygiene and pharmacotherapy are the primary treatments offered; PCPs tend to focus on perceived causes of insomnia rather than the insomnia itself; and neither patients nor providers are satisfied with insomnia treatment options. Although insomnia complaints are typically first reported to primary care providers, little research has focused on perspectives regarding insomnia treatment among PCPs working in the largest integrated health care system in the United States-the Veterans Affairs (VA) health care system. This study was conducted to examine VA PCP perceptions of the availability of insomnia treatments, identify specific strategies offered by PCPs, and examine perceptions regarding the importance of treating insomnia and the role of comorbid conditions.

METHODS

A survey was conducted within the VA health care system. Primary care providers completed surveys electronically.

RESULTS

A high percentage of veterans (modal response = 20% to 39%) seen in VA primary care settings report an insomnia complaint to their provider. Almost half of respondents do not consistently document insomnia in the medical record (46% endorsed "sometimes," "rarely," or "never"). PCPs routinely advise sleep hygiene recommendations for insomnia (ie, avoid stimulants before bedtime [84.3%], and keep the bedroom environment quiet and dark and comfortable [68.6%]) and many are uncertain if cognitive behavioral therapy for insomnia is available at their facility (43.1%).

CONCLUSIONS

Findings point to the need for systems-level changes within health care systems, including the adoption of evidence-based clinical practice standards for insomnia and PCP education about the processes that maintain insomnia.

COMMENTARY

A commentary on this article appears in this issue on page 937.