A randomized controlled trial of a digital cognitive behavioral therapy for insomnia for older adults
Abstract Older adults with insomnia face considerable challenges accessing treatment given limited availability to first-line therapy (Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy for Insomnia, CBT-I). This study evaluated the efficacy of Sleep Healthy Using the Internet for Older Adults Suffering with Insomnia and...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Nature Portfolio
2025-07-01
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| Series: | npj Digital Medicine |
| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1038/s41746-025-01847-0 |
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| author | Lee M. Ritterband Kelly M. Shaffer Frances P. Thorndike Philip I. Chow Linda Gonder-Frederick Karen S. Ingersoll Wendy F. Cohn Christina Frederick Kirsten MacDonnell Jillian V. Glazer Meghan K. Mattos Michelle M. Hilgart Mark S. Quigg Mudhasir Bashir Charles M. Morin |
| author_facet | Lee M. Ritterband Kelly M. Shaffer Frances P. Thorndike Philip I. Chow Linda Gonder-Frederick Karen S. Ingersoll Wendy F. Cohn Christina Frederick Kirsten MacDonnell Jillian V. Glazer Meghan K. Mattos Michelle M. Hilgart Mark S. Quigg Mudhasir Bashir Charles M. Morin |
| author_sort | Lee M. Ritterband |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract Older adults with insomnia face considerable challenges accessing treatment given limited availability to first-line therapy (Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy for Insomnia, CBT-I). This study evaluated the efficacy of Sleep Healthy Using the Internet for Older Adults Suffering with Insomnia and Sleeplessness (SHUTi OASIS), a tailored CBT-I internet intervention for older adults with insomnia, in a 3-arm randomized controlled trial (SHUTi OASIS alone, SHUTi OASIS + stepped support, online patient education [PE]). 311 participants (ages 55–95) were randomized to receive SHUTi OASIS (alone n = 105; with stepped support n = 102), with both conditions reporting significant improvements across post, 6-month, and 12-month follow-ups in insomnia severity compared to those receiving PE (n = 104). Clinically meaningful indices of insomnia response and remission were also higher among those receiving SHUTi OASIS. Those who received SHUTi OASIS also significantly outperformed those receiving PE on secondary outcomes, including sleep onset latency, wake after sleep onset, sleep efficiency, number of awakenings, sleep quality, and fatigue, across most timepoints. Results indicate that digital CBT-I provides important benefits for older adults, offering strong potential to expand access to insomnia treatment for this underserved population. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-d117dfd74510469eacbab2a6af0ddba7 |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 2398-6352 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-07-01 |
| publisher | Nature Portfolio |
| record_format | Article |
| series | npj Digital Medicine |
| spelling | doaj-art-d117dfd74510469eacbab2a6af0ddba72025-08-20T03:43:36ZengNature Portfolionpj Digital Medicine2398-63522025-07-01811910.1038/s41746-025-01847-0A randomized controlled trial of a digital cognitive behavioral therapy for insomnia for older adultsLee M. Ritterband0Kelly M. Shaffer1Frances P. Thorndike2Philip I. Chow3Linda Gonder-Frederick4Karen S. Ingersoll5Wendy F. Cohn6Christina Frederick7Kirsten MacDonnell8Jillian V. Glazer9Meghan K. Mattos10Michelle M. Hilgart11Mark S. Quigg12Mudhasir Bashir13Charles M. Morin14Center for Behavioral Health & Technology, Department of Psychiatry and Neurobehavioral Sciences, University of Virginia School of MedicineCenter for Behavioral Health & Technology, Department of Psychiatry and Neurobehavioral Sciences, University of Virginia School of MedicineNox Health Inc.Center for Behavioral Health & Technology, Department of Psychiatry and Neurobehavioral Sciences, University of Virginia School of MedicineCenter for Behavioral Health & Technology, Department of Psychiatry and Neurobehavioral Sciences, University of Virginia School of MedicineCenter for Behavioral Health & Technology, Department of Psychiatry and Neurobehavioral Sciences, University of Virginia School of MedicineDepartment of Public Health Sciences, University of Virginia School of MedicineCenter for Behavioral Health & Technology, Department of Psychiatry and Neurobehavioral Sciences, University of Virginia School of MedicineCenter for Behavioral Health & Technology, Department of Psychiatry and Neurobehavioral Sciences, University of Virginia School of MedicineCenter for Behavioral Health & Technology, Department of Psychiatry and Neurobehavioral Sciences, University of Virginia School of MedicineUniversity of Virginia School of NursingCenter for Behavioral Health & Technology, Department of Psychiatry and Neurobehavioral Sciences, University of Virginia School of MedicineDepartment of Neurology, University of Virginia School of MedicineDepartment of Psychiatry and Neurobehavioral Sciences, University of Virginia School of MedicineSchool of Psychology and CERVO/BRAIN Research Center, Laval UniversityAbstract Older adults with insomnia face considerable challenges accessing treatment given limited availability to first-line therapy (Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy for Insomnia, CBT-I). This study evaluated the efficacy of Sleep Healthy Using the Internet for Older Adults Suffering with Insomnia and Sleeplessness (SHUTi OASIS), a tailored CBT-I internet intervention for older adults with insomnia, in a 3-arm randomized controlled trial (SHUTi OASIS alone, SHUTi OASIS + stepped support, online patient education [PE]). 311 participants (ages 55–95) were randomized to receive SHUTi OASIS (alone n = 105; with stepped support n = 102), with both conditions reporting significant improvements across post, 6-month, and 12-month follow-ups in insomnia severity compared to those receiving PE (n = 104). Clinically meaningful indices of insomnia response and remission were also higher among those receiving SHUTi OASIS. Those who received SHUTi OASIS also significantly outperformed those receiving PE on secondary outcomes, including sleep onset latency, wake after sleep onset, sleep efficiency, number of awakenings, sleep quality, and fatigue, across most timepoints. Results indicate that digital CBT-I provides important benefits for older adults, offering strong potential to expand access to insomnia treatment for this underserved population.https://doi.org/10.1038/s41746-025-01847-0 |
| spellingShingle | Lee M. Ritterband Kelly M. Shaffer Frances P. Thorndike Philip I. Chow Linda Gonder-Frederick Karen S. Ingersoll Wendy F. Cohn Christina Frederick Kirsten MacDonnell Jillian V. Glazer Meghan K. Mattos Michelle M. Hilgart Mark S. Quigg Mudhasir Bashir Charles M. Morin A randomized controlled trial of a digital cognitive behavioral therapy for insomnia for older adults npj Digital Medicine |
| title | A randomized controlled trial of a digital cognitive behavioral therapy for insomnia for older adults |
| title_full | A randomized controlled trial of a digital cognitive behavioral therapy for insomnia for older adults |
| title_fullStr | A randomized controlled trial of a digital cognitive behavioral therapy for insomnia for older adults |
| title_full_unstemmed | A randomized controlled trial of a digital cognitive behavioral therapy for insomnia for older adults |
| title_short | A randomized controlled trial of a digital cognitive behavioral therapy for insomnia for older adults |
| title_sort | randomized controlled trial of a digital cognitive behavioral therapy for insomnia for older adults |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1038/s41746-025-01847-0 |
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