Integrating digital behavioural therapy for insomnia into primary care: A feasibility mixed-methods study

Area of Science:

• Digital health interventions
• Primary care implementation
• Sleep medicine

Background:

• Digital cognitive behavioural therapy for insomnia (CBT-I) offers scalability but faces implementation challenges in primary care.
• Integrating digital therapeutics into routine clinical practice is crucial for widespread adoption.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the feasibility and impact of implementing a digital CBT-I (SleepFix) in primary care.
• To assess healthcare professional attitudes and patient experiences with digital insomnia therapy.

Main Methods:

• A single-arm feasibility trial involving primary care healthcare professionals and insomnia patients.
• SleepFix, a digital sleep restriction therapy, was prescribed by General Practitioners, community pharmacists, and nurses.
• Outcomes included digital therapeutic uptake, patient/professional interviews, and validated measures of insomnia symptoms, mood, and sleep quality.

Main Results:

• Fifty out of 105 patients (47.6% uptake) downloaded and used SleepFix.
• Healthcare professionals expressed confidence in integrating digital sleep health, and patients found the app acceptable.
• Significant improvements in insomnia symptoms, mood, and sleep quality were observed by week 6 (p < 0.05).

Conclusions:

• Real-world implementation of digital insomnia therapy in primary care is feasible.
• This study provides a potential framework for prescribing digital sleep interventions within primary care settings.
• Digital CBT-I can effectively improve sleep outcomes and is well-received by patients and clinicians.