Improving Sleep in People with HIV and Chronic Pain: A Pilot Study of Brief Behavioral Treatment for Insomnia

Insomnia and chronic pain are common symptoms in people with HIV. Poor sleep has been associated with chronic pain. While cognitive behavioral therapy for insomnia improves insomnia in clinical populations, there are barriers to people with HIV accessing treatment including the lack of trained providers and lengthy sessions. Only one study has examined the efficacy of brief behavioral treatment for insomnia (BBTI) in people with HIV. This study examined BBTI effects on sleep and pain in people with HIV.

Ten adults with HIV and chronic pain completed a 4-week, telephone-delivered BBTI treatment. A control group (n = 10) completed a brief mindfulness training (BMT). The Insomnia Severity Index and Brief Pain Inventory were used to assess insomnia severity and pain outcomes, respectively.

There was a significant interaction between intervention and time on insomnia severity, F (2,14) = 5.7, p = .02, partial η² = 0.45). The BBTI group demonstrated significant improvements in insomnia severity from pre- to post-intervention (p < .001) and from pre-intervention to one-month post-intervention (p = .001) compared to the BMT group. There was a significant interaction between intervention and time on pain interference, F (1,18) = 4.9, p = .02, partial η² = 0.27). The BBTI group demonstrated a significant decrease in pain interference from pre- to post-intervention (p < .001) compared to the BMT group.

This pilot study demonstrated that BBTI improved insomnia in people with HIV for up to one-month post-treatment. Novel preliminary evidence suggests that BBTI may also improve pain outcomes in people with HIV.