People with insomnia

Experiences with sedative hypnotics and risk perception

Bibliographic Data

ID19507976
AuthorsJanet M Y Cheung (0000-0001-6341-5594, Faculty of Pharmacy The University of Sydney Sydney NSW Australia, corresponding author), Delwyn J Bartlett (0000-0001-9249-5773, NHMRC Centres of Research Excellence: CIRUS (Centre for Integrated Research and Understanding of Sleep) and NeuroSleep The Woolcock Institute of Medical Research Sydney NSW Australia), Cherie Armour (0000-0002-2930-2227, Woolcock Institute of Medical Research), Carol L Armour (Clinical Management Group The Woolcock Institute of Medical Research Sydney NSW Australia), Jason Ellis (0000-0002-8496-520X, Northumbria University), Jason G Ellis (Northumbria Centre for Sleep Research Northumbria University Newcastle UK), Bandana Saini (0000-0002-0674-5017, Faculty of Pharmacy The University of Sydney Sydney NSW Australia)
Year2016
Volume19
Issue4
Pages935-947
Publication date2016-08-01
Open AccessYes
TypeARTICLE
VenueHealth Expectations (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 1369-6513 • E-ISSN: 1369-7625
PublisherWiley (PUBLISHER • GB)
DOI10.1111/hex.12388
PMID26237994
OpenAlexW2164633447
LanguageEN
Citations received2
References cited46

BACKGROUND: Sedative hypnotics form an important part of managing insomnia and are recommended for short-term use. It is standard practice for clinicians to inform the patient to use medications only 'when required', but the use of these medications is often chronic. Little is known about the impact of standard labelling/instructions on promoting appropriate medication use for managing insomnia. OBJECTIVE: To explore patient medication-taking beliefs, experiences and behavioural practices relating to the use of pharmacological/complementary sleep aids for insomnia. SETTING AND PARTICIPANTS: Specialist sleep/psychology clinics and the general community in Sydney, Australia. METHOD: Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 51 people with insomnia using a schedule of questions to gauge their experiences, beliefs and current practices relating to insomnia medication use. Interviews were audio-recorded, transcribed verbatim and subjected to Framework Analysis to identify emergent themes. RESULTS: Participants held distinctive views about the safety and efficacy of complementary and pharmacological agents but do not intuitively turn to medications to resolve their sleep complaint. Medication use was affirmed through tangible medication-taking cues due to the ambivalence in current instructions and labelling. Practices such as dosage modification, medication substitution and delaying medication use might be important drivers for psychological dependence. CONCLUSION: Current labelling and instructions do not necessarily promote the quality use of sedative hypnotics due to the variability in patient interpretations. Clarifying the timing, quantity and frequency of medication administration as well as insomnia symptom recognition would play a significant role in optimizing the role of pharmacotherapy in the management of insomnia

Insomnia · Medical prescription · Perception · Psychiatry · Sedative · Medicine · Nursing · Psychology · Sleep and related disorders · Sleep and Wakefulness Research · Sleep and Work-Related Fatigue

Tools

Open DOISci-HubOpen Access