Fathers and Families: research and reflection on key questions

This is the third report to be published by the Department of Health and Children under the Springboard Initiative. It is written to promote understanding and appreciation of the role of a fathers in family life. Download the Report here

Efficacy of Brief Behavioral Treatment for Chronic Insomnia in Older Adults

��Report: Background�� Chronic insomnia is a common health problemwith substantial consequences in older adults. Cognitive behavioraltreatments are efficacious but not widely available. The aimof this study was to test the efficacy of brief behavioral treatmentfor insomnia (BBTI) vs an information control (IC) condition.��Methods�� A total of 79 older adults (mean age, 71.7 years;54 women [70%]) with chronic insomnia and common comorbiditieswere recruited from the community and 1 primary care clinic.Participants were randomly assigned to either BBTI, consistingof individualized behavioral instructions delivered in 2 interventionsessions and 2 telephone calls, or IC, consisting of printededucational material. Both interventions were delivered by anurse clinician. The primary outcome was categorically definedtreatment response at 4 weeks, based on sleep questionnairesand diaries. Secondary outcomes included self-report symptomand health measures, sleep diaries, actigraphy, and polysomnography.��Conclusion�� We found that BBTI is a simple, efficacious,and durable intervention for chronic insomnia in older adultsthat has potential for dissemination across medical settings.����������