Skip to main content

Advertisement

Log in

Sleep disturbance in cancer patients and caregivers who contact telephone-based help services

Supportive Care in Cancer Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Purpose

Insomnia is highly prevalent in people who are affected by cancer. However, options available to receive support for insomnia are limited. Telephone-based help services, such as cancer helplines, may be ideally placed to meet unmet needs regarding insomnia after cancer. The present study describes the prevalence and predictors of insomnia in patients and caregivers who call cancer helplines seeking support.

Methods

Participants (N = 500 patients, N = 234 caregivers) were recruited through an Australian state-based telephone-delivered cancer helpline. In addition to routine screening with the Distress Thermometer, participants were administered the Insomnia Severity Index.

Results

Most participants were female, older than 50 years of age, and were three (caregivers) to four (patients) months post-diagnosis. Insomnia symptoms were reported by 59.4 % of patients and 62.9 % of caregivers, with moderate to severe levels of insomnia reported by 27 % of patients and 30 % of caregivers. Insomnia was predicted by distress level for both patients (β = .31, p < .001) and caregivers (β = .32, p < .001) and age for patients only (β = −.13, p < .01).

Conclusions

Insomnia symptoms are common in patients and caregivers who call cancer helplines and appear to be related to distress. Telephone-based helplines have the potential to act as the first line of support in a stepped care approach addressing insomnia.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. Ancoli-Israel S (2009) Recognition and treatment of sleep disturbances in cancer. J Clin Oncol 27:5864–5866

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  2. Bastien CH, Vallières A, Morin CM (2001) Validation of the Insomnia Severity Index as an outcome measure for insomnia research. Sleep Med 2:297–307

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  3. Beesley VL, Price MA, Webb PM, O'Rourke P, Marquart L, Australian Ovarian Cancer Study Group, Investigators AOCSQoLS (2013) Changes in supportive care needs after first-line treatment for ovarian cancer: identifying care priorities and risk factors for future unmet needs. Psycho-Oncol 22:1565–1571

    Article  Google Scholar 

  4. Berger AM, Sankaranarayanan J, Watanabe-Galloway S (2007) Current methodological approaches to the study of sleep disturbances and quality of life in adults with cancer: a systematic review. Psycho-Oncol 16:401–420

    Article  Google Scholar 

  5. Bin YS, Marshall NS, Glozier N (2012) The burden of insomnia on individual function and healthcare consumption in Australia. Aust NZ J Publ Heal 36:462–468

    Article  Google Scholar 

  6. Bright MA (2007) The national cancer institute’s cancer information service: a premiere cancer information and education resource for the nation. J Cancer Educ 22S:S2–S7

    Article  Google Scholar 

  7. Carney S, Koetters T, Cho M, West C, Paul SM, Dunn L, Aouizerat BE, Dodd M, Copper B, Lee K, Wara W, Swift P, Miaskowski C (2011) Differences in sleep disturbance parameters between oncology outpatients and their family caregivers. J Clin Oncol 29:1001–1006

    Article  PubMed Central  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  8. Chambers SK, Girgis A, Occhipinti S, Hutchison S, Turner J, Morris BA, Dunn J (2012) Psychological distress and unmet supportive care needs in cancer patients and carers who contact cancer helplines. Eur J Cancer Care 21:213–223

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  9. Couzi RJ, Helzlsouer KJ, Fetting JH (1995) Prevalence of menopausal symptoms among women with a history of breast cancer and attitudes toward estrogen replacement therapy. J Clin Oncol 13:2737–2744

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  10. Daley M, Morin CM, LeBlanc M, Grégoire J, Savard J (2009) The economic burden of insomnia: direct and indirect costs for individuals with insomnia syndrome, insomnia symptoms, and good sleepers. Sleep 32:55–64

    PubMed Central  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  11. Ekberg K, McDermott J, Moynihan C, Brindle L, Little P, Leydon GM (2014) The role of helplines in cancer care: intertwining emotional support with information or advice seeking needs J Psychsoc Onc

  12. Finney Rutten LJ, Arora NK, Bakos AD, Aziz N, Rowland J (2005) Information needs and sources of information among cancer patients: a systematic review of research (1980–2003). Patient Educ Couns 57:250–261

    Article  Google Scholar 

  13. Girgis A, Lambert SD, McElduff P, Bonevski B, Lecathelinais C, Boyes A, Stacey F (2013) Some things change, some things stay the same: a longitudinal analysis of cancer caregivers’ unmet supportive care needs. Psycho-Oncol 22:1557–1564

    Article  Google Scholar 

  14. Hauri P, Wisbey J (1992) Wrist actigraphy in insomnia. Sleep 15:293–301

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  15. Hawkes AL, Hughes KL, Hutchison SD, Chambers SK (2010) Feasibility of brief psychological distress screening by a community-based telephone helpline for cancer patients and carers. BMC Cancer 10:14

    Article  PubMed Central  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  16. Hutchison S, Sargeant H, Morris BA, Hawkes A, Clutton S, Chambers S (2011) A community-based approach to cancer counselling for patients and carers: a preliminary study. Psycho-Oncol 20:897–901

    Article  Google Scholar 

  17. Hutchison SD, Steginga SK, Dunn J (2006) The tiered model of psychosocial intervention in cancer: community based approach. Psycho-Oncol 15:541–546

    Article  Google Scholar 

  18. Jacobsen PB, Donovan KA, Trask PC, Fleishman SB, Zabora J, Baker F, Holland JC (2005) Screening for psychologic distress in ambulatory cancer patients. Cancer 103:1494–1502

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  19. Kvale EA, Shuster JL (2006) Sleep disturbance in supportive care of cancer: a review. J Palliat Med 9:437–450

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  20. Langford DJ, Lee K, Miaskowski C (2012) Sleep disturbance interventions in oncology patients and family caregivers: a comprehensive review and meta-analysis. Sleep Med Rev 16:397–414

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  21. Morin CM (1993) Insomnia: psychological assessment and management. Guilford, New York

    Google Scholar 

  22. Morin CM, Barlow DH, Dement WC (1993) Insomnia: psychological assessment and management. Guilford, New York

    Google Scholar 

  23. Morra ME, Thomsen C, Vezina A, Akkerman D, Bright MA, Dickens C, Hill DJ, Jefford M (2007) The international cancer information service: a worldwide resource. J Cancer Educ 22:S61–S69

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  24. National Comprehensive Cancer Network (2002) Practice guidelines in oncology—V.1.2002: distress management (Rep. No. Version 1). In: Editor (ed)^(eds) Book Practice Guidelines in Oncology- V.1.2002: Distress Management (Rep. No. Version 1), City

  25. Osoba D, Zee B, Warr D, Latreille J, Kaizer L, Pater J (1997) Effect of postchemotherapy nausea and vomiting on health-related quality of life. Support Care Cancer 5:307–313

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  26. Ritterband LM, Bailey ET, Thorndike FP, Lord HR, Farrell-Carnahan L, Baum LD (2012) Initial evaluation of an Internet intervention to improve the sleep of cancer survivors with insomnia. Psycho-Oncol 21:695–705

    Article  Google Scholar 

  27. Savard J, Ivers H, Villa J, Caplette-Gingras A, Morin CM (2011) Natural course of insomnia comorbid with cancer: an 18-month longitudinal study. J Clin Oncol 29:3580–3586

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  28. Savard J, Savard M (2013) Insomnia and cancer: prevalence, nature, and nonpharmacologic treatment. Sleep Med Clin 8:373–387

    Article  Google Scholar 

  29. Savard M-H, Savard J, Simard S, Ivers H (2005) Empirical validation of the Insomnia Severity Index in cancer patients. Psycho-Oncol 14:429–441

    Article  Google Scholar 

  30. Swash B, Hulbert-Williams N, Bramwell R (2014) Unmet psychosocial needs in haematological cancer: a systematic review. Support Care Cancer 22:1131–1141

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  31. Vargas S, Antoni MH, Carver CS, Lechner SC, Wohlgemuth W, Llabre M, Blomberg BB, Glück S, DerHagopian RP (2013) Sleep quality and fatigue after a stress management intervention for women with early-stage breast cancer in southern Florida international. J Behav Med :1–11

Download references

Acknowledgments

Prof. Chambers is supported by the Australian Research Council Future Fellowship. We gratefully acknowledge the support of Robert McDowall for his assistance with data analysis.

Conflict of interest

Dr Morris, Prof. Glozier, Prof. Dunn and Prof Chambers have no conflict of interest. Prof. Chambers has full control of all the primary data and agrees to allow the journal to review it on request. Drs. Ritterband and Thorndike have equity ownership in BeHealth Solutions, LLC, a company disseminating online interventions, including one for insomnia. The terms of Drs. Ritterband and Thorndike’s arrangement with BeHealth Solutions have been reviewed and approved by the University of Virginia in accordance with its conflict of interest policy.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Suzanne K. Chambers.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Morris, B.A., Thorndike, F.P., Ritterband, L.M. et al. Sleep disturbance in cancer patients and caregivers who contact telephone-based help services. Support Care Cancer 23, 1113–1120 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00520-014-2458-y

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00520-014-2458-y

Keywords

Navigation