Patient characteristics and predictors of sleep medication use
Abstract
The objective of this study was to investigate the characteristics of sleep medication users, and their satisfaction with treatment and subjective difficulty with quitting the drugs. A representative sample of 5000 adults in Norway was selected to participate in an epidemiologic study. The data were collected through a postal survey in which a total of 2645 (52.9%) participants responded. Weighted logistic regression was used to explore predictors for the drug pattern use. The prevalence of lifetime, current, and chronic use of sleep medications were 18.8, 7.9, and 4.2%. The use was associated with low socioeconomic status, older age, female sex, and frequent symptoms of sleep disorders, anxiety, and depression. Older age and low perceived control over sleep were the strongest predictors for use and difficulty in quitting sleep medications. Among responders who had ever used sleep medications, 80.3% would prefer a nonpharmacological treatment alternative. It is concluded that consumption of sleep medications is widespread in Norway, and that perception of control over sleep may play a significant role in the drug pattern use. Nonpharmacological treatment is to a small extent implemented in the health care sector.
Integrity signals
Registry
Cites
Statistics
Claims the paper makes
Claims other papers make about this one
Each is checked against this paper’s own text: does it say what the citing paper says it does?
Patients often prefer nonpharmacological treatment.
“and patients often prefer nonpharmacological treatment [25,26].”
From The effects of exercise on sleep in unipolar depression: a systematic review and network meta-analysis (2021) · cites this paper as [25]
Cites
Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders
Williams, J. B. W., & First, M. B. (2013) · Oxford University Press eBooks · doi:10.1093/acrefore/9780199975839.013.104 · Cited by 109,841 · see citing works
Development of the World Health Organization WHOQOL-BREF Quality of Life Assessment
THE WHOQOL GROUP (1998) · Psychological Medicine · doi:10.1017/s0033291798006667 · Cited by 7,933 · see citing works
Epidemiology of insomnia: what we know and what we still need to learn
Ohayon, M. M. (2002) · Sleep Medicine Reviews · doi:10.1053/smrv.2002.0186 · Cited by 3,743 · cited 1× · see citing works
“When defined in accordance with standard diagnostic criteria, the prevalence of chronic insomnia ranges between 6 and 12% in the adult population (Pallesen et al., 2001; Ohayon, 2002).”
BackgroundEpidemiologic study of sleep disturbances and psychiatric disorders. An opportunity for prevention?
Ford, D. E. (1989) · JAMA · doi:10.1001/jama.262.11.1479 · Cited by 2,440 · see citing works
Epidemiologic Study of Sleep Disturbances and Psychiatric Disorders: An Opportunity for Prevention?
Ford, D. E. (1989) · JAMA · doi:10.1001/jama.1989.03430110069030 · Cited by 2,252 · see citing works
Gossop, M., Darke, S. G., Griffiths, P., Hando, J., Powis, B., Hall, W., & Strang, J. (1995) · Addiction · doi:10.1046/j.1360-0443.1995.9056072.x · Cited by 1,341 · see citing works
Sedative hypnotics in older people with insomnia: meta-analysis of risks and benefits
Glass, J., Lanctôt, K. L., Herrmann, N., Sproule, B. A., & Busto, U. E. (2005) · BMJ · doi:10.1136/bmj.38623.768588.47 · Cited by 1,161 · see citing works
Behavioral and Pharmacological Therapies for Late-Life Insomnia: A Randomized Controlled Trial
Morin, C. M., Colecchi, C., Stone, J., Sood, R., & Brink, D. (1999) · JAMA · doi:10.1001/jama.281.11.991 · Cited by 1,095 · see citing works
Comparative Meta-Analysis of Pharmacotherapy and Behavior Therapy for Persistent Insomnia
Smith, M. T., Perlis, M. L., Park, A., Smith, M. S., Pennington, J., Giles, D. E., & Buysse, D. J. (2002) · American Journal of Psychiatry · doi:10.1176/appi.ajp.159.1.5 · Cited by 863 · cited 2× · see citing works
“, 2007), and for a long time less was known about the outcome of long-term treatment with hypnotics (Smith et al., 2002; Benca, 2005).”
BackgroundJohnson, E. O., Roth, T., & Breslau, N. (2006) · Journal of Psychiatric Research · doi:10.1016/j.jpsychires.2006.07.008 · Cited by 804 · see citing works
Ancoli‐Israel, S., & Roth, T. G. (1999) · PubMed · Cited by 776 · see citing works
National Institutes of Health State of the Science Conference Statement
(2005) · Sleep · doi:10.1093/sleep/28.9.1049 · Cited by 745 · see citing works
Krystal, A. D., Walsh, J. K., Laska, E., Caron, J., Amato, D. A., Wessel, T. C., & Roth, T. (2003) · Sleep · doi:10.1093/sleep/26.7.793 · Cited by 630 · see citing works
Sivertsen, B., Omvik, S., Pallesen, S., Bjorvatn, B., Havik, O. E., Kvale, G., Nielsen, G. H., & Nordhus, I. H. (2006) · JAMA · doi:10.1001/jama.295.24.2851 · Cited by 589 · cited 1× · see citing works
“For instance, comparative studies have shown that cognitive behavioural therapy has an advantage over sleep medications (Morin et al., 1999; Sivertsen et al., 2006).”
BackgroundSelf-citationBenzodiazepines and Zolpidem for Chronic Insomnia: A Meta-analysis of Treatment Efficacy
Nowell, P. D. (1997) · JAMA · doi:10.1001/jama.1997.03550240060035 · Cited by 451 · see citing works
The Efficacy and Safety of Drug Treatments for Chronic Insomnia in Adults: A Meta-Analysis of RCTs
Buscemi, N., Vandermeer, B., Friesen, C., Bialy, L., Tubman, M., Ospina, M., Klassen, T. P., & Witmans, M. (2007) · Journal of General Internal Medicine · doi:10.1007/s11606-007-0251-z · Cited by 448 · cited 2× · see citing works
“Short-term positive effects of hypnotics have been shown in meta-analyses (Nowell et al., 1997; Buscemi et al., 2007), and for a long time less was known about the outcome of long-term treatment with hypnotics (Smith et al.”
BackgroundA new scale for measuring insomnia: the Bergen Insomnia Scale.
Pallesen, S., Bjorvatn, B., Nordhus, I. H., Sivertsen, B., Hjørnevik, M., & Morin, C. M. (2008) · Perceptual and Motor Skills · doi:10.2466/pms.107.3.691-706 · Cited by 426 · see citing works
Self-citationEpidemiological Study on Insomnia in the General Population
Ohayon, M. (1996) · Sleep · doi:10.1093/sleep/19.suppl_3.s7 · Cited by 401 · see citing works
Methods to increase response rates to postal questionnaires
Edwards, P. J., Roberts, I., Clarke, M. J., DiGuiseppi, C. G., Wentz, R., Kwan, I., Cooper, R., Felix, L. M., & Pratap, S. (2007) · Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews · doi:10.1002/14651858.mr000008.pub3 · Cited by 390 · see citing works
Holm, K. J., & Goa, K. L. (2000) · Drugs · doi:10.2165/00003495-200059040-00014 · Cited by 317 · see citing works
Insomnia and the attribution process.
Storms, M. D., & Nisbett, R. E. (1970) · Journal of Personality and Social Psychology · doi:10.1037/h0029835 · Cited by 297 · see citing works
Vermeeren, A. (2004) · CNS Drugs · doi:10.2165/00023210-200418050-00003 · Cited by 278 · see citing works
Prevalence of Sleep Problems and Quality of Life in an Older Population
Schubert, C. R., Cruickshanks, K. J., Dalton, D. S., Be, K., Klein, R., & Nondahl, D. M. (2002) · SLEEP · doi:10.1093/sleep/25.8.48 · Cited by 268 · see citing works
Noble, S., Langtry, H. D., & Lamb, H. M. (1998) · Drugs · doi:10.2165/00003495-199855020-00015 · Cited by 254 · see citing works
Diagnosis and Treatment of Chronic Insomnia: A Review
Benca, R. M. (2005) · Psychiatric Services · doi:10.1176/appi.ps.56.3.332 · Cited by 248 · see citing works
Walsh, J. K., Krystal, A. D., Amato, D. A., Rubens, R., Caron, J., Wessel, T. C., Schaefer, K., Roach, J., Wallenstein, G., & Roth, T. (2007) · Sleep · doi:10.1093/sleep/30.8.959 · Cited by 239 · see citing works
Treatment preference and patient satisfaction in chronic insomnia
Vincent, N., & Lionberg, C. (2001) · SLEEP · doi:10.1093/sleep/24.4.411 · Cited by 221 · cited 1× · see citing works
“This finding is in line with the results from earlier study (Vincent and Lionberg, 2001).”
ResultA Comparative Assessment of the Risks and Benefits of Zopiclone
Hajak, G. (1999) · Drug Safety · doi:10.2165/00002018-199921060-00003 · Cited by 213 · see citing works
A new questionnaire to detect sleep disorders
Roth, T. G., Zammit, G. K., Kushida, C. A., Doghramji, K., Mathias, S. D., Wong, J., & Buysse, D. J. (2002) · Sleep Medicine · doi:10.1016/s1389-9457(01)00131-9 · Cited by 204 · see citing works
Krystal, A., Erman, M., Zammit, G., Soubrane, C., & Roth, T. (2008) · Sleep · doi:10.1093/sleep/31.1.79 · Cited by 201 · see citing works
INSOMNIA AND USE OF HYPNOTICS—STUDY OF A FRENCH POPULATION
Quera-Salva, M. A., Orluc, A., Goldenberg, F., & Guilleminault, C. (1991) · SLEEP · doi:10.1093/sleep/14.5.386 · Cited by 198 · cited 4× · see citing works
“Prevalence rates of current and chronic use of sleep medications are commonly reported in the range between 6–10% (Quera-Salva et al., 1991; Ohayon, 1996; Pallesen et al., 2001; Souza et al., 2002), whereas lifetime prevalence in terms of ever having taken sleep medications has been reported to be a little below 20% (…”
BackgroundInfluentialPrevalence of Insomnia in the Adult Norwegian Population
Pallesen, S., Nordhus, I. H., Nielsen, G. H., Havik, O. E., Kvale, G., Johnsen, B. H., & Skjøtskift, S. (2001) · SLEEP · doi:10.1093/sleep/24.7.771 · Cited by 194 · see citing works
Self-citationKrystal, A. (2009) · Sleep Medicine Reviews · doi:10.1016/j.smrv.2008.08.001 · Cited by 160 · see citing works
Benzodiazepines, breathing, and sleep
Guilleminault, C. (1990) · The American Journal of Medicine · doi:10.1016/0002-9343(90)90282-i · Cited by 159 · see citing works
Nocturnal Sleep and Daytime Sleepiness in Normal Subjects with HLA-DQB1*0602
Mignot, E. J.-M., Young, T. B., Lin, L., & Finn, L. A. (1999) · SLEEP · doi:10.1093/sleep/22.3.347 · Cited by 152 · see citing works
Ursin, R., Bjorvatn, B., & Holsten, F. (2005) · SLEEP · doi:10.1093/sleep/28.10.1260 · Cited by 145 · see citing works
Self-citationPrevalence of insomnia in elderly general practice attenders and the current treatment modalities
Hohagen, F., Käppler, C. D. O., Schramm, E., Rink, K., Weyerer, S. B., Riemann, D. W., & Berger, T. (1994) · Acta Psychiatrica Scandinavica · doi:10.1111/j.1600-0447.1994.tb01563.x · Cited by 140 · see citing works
Wardle, J., Steptoe, A., Guliš, G., Sartory, G., Sęk, H., Todorova, I. L. G., Vögele, C., & Ziarko, M. (2004) · International Journal of Behavioral Medicine · doi:10.1207/s15327558ijbm1101_4 · Cited by 138 · see citing works
Sedative use and misuse in the United States
Goodwin, R. D., & Hasin, D. S. (2002) · Addiction · doi:10.1046/j.1360-0443.2002.00098.x · Cited by 107 · see citing works
Prevalence of reported sleeplessness in northern Norway in relation to sex, age and season
Husby, R., & Lingjærde, O. C. (1990) · Acta Psychiatrica Scandinavica · doi:10.1111/j.1600-0447.1990.tb05009.x · Cited by 105 · see citing works
Can We Mix Behavioral Therapy With Hypnotics When Treating Insomniacs?
Hauri, P. J. (1997) · Sleep · doi:10.1093/sleep/20.12.1111 · Cited by 97 · see citing works
A NEW SCALE FOR MEASURING INSOMNIA: THE BERGEN INSOMNIA SCALE
Pallesen, S. (2008) · Perceptual and Motor Skills · doi:10.2466/pms.107.7.691-706 · Cited by 92 · see citing works
Self-citationJansson‐Fröjmark, M., & Linton, S. J. (2006) · Psychology and Health · doi:10.1080/14768320500129015 · Cited by 90 · see citing works
Use of alcohol and hypnotic medication as aids to sleep among the Japanese general population
Kaneita, Y., Uchiyama, M., Takemura, S., Yokoyama, E., Miyake, T., Harano, S., Asai, T., Tsutsui, T., Kaneko, A., Nakamura, H. K., et al. (2007) · Sleep Medicine · doi:10.1016/j.sleep.2006.10.009 · Cited by 86 · see citing works
Morin, C. M., & Wooten, V. D. (1996) · Clinical Psychology Review · doi:10.1016/0272-7358(96)00027-x · Cited by 72 · see citing works
McLaren, S., & Crowe, S. F. (2002) · Journal of Anxiety Disorders · doi:10.1016/s0887-6185(02)00224-4 · Cited by 71 · see citing works
Measuring control appraisals in chronic pain
Tan, G., Jensen, M. P., Robinson‐Whelen, S., Thornby, J. I., & Monga, T. N. (2002) · Journal of Pain · doi:10.1054/jpai.2002.126609 · Cited by 58 · see citing works
Hausken, A. M., Furu, K., Skurtveit, S. O., Engeland, A., & Bramness, J. G. (2008) · European Journal of Clinical Pharmacology · doi:10.1007/s00228-008-0565-8 · Cited by 57 · see citing works
Stein, M. B., & Barrett-Connor, E. L. (2002) · American Journal of Geriatric Psychiatry · doi:10.1097/00019442-200209000-00010 · Cited by 53 · see citing works
Lu, B. S., Budhiraja, R., & Parthasarathy, S. (2005) · Journal of Clinical Sleep Medicine · doi:10.5664/jcsm.26363 · Cited by 50 · see citing works
Hypnotic use in a population-based sample of over thirty-five thousand interviewed Canadians
Kassam, A., & Patten, S. B. (2006) · Population Health Metrics · doi:10.1186/1478-7954-4-15 · Cited by 44 · see citing works
Anderson, C., & Horne, J. A. (2007) · Sleep Medicine · doi:10.1016/j.sleep.2007.02.006 · Cited by 37 · see citing works
Insomnia and hypnotic use in Campo Grande general population, Brazil
Souza, J. C., Magna, L. A., & Reimão, R. (2002) · Arquivos de Neuro-Psiquiatria · doi:10.1590/s0004-282x2002000500003 · Cited by 37 · see citing works
Sleep and hypnotic use in relation to perceived somatic and mental health among the elderly
Asplund, R. (2000) · Archives of Gerontology and Geriatrics · doi:10.1016/s0167-4943(00)00075-3 · Cited by 33 · see citing works
Dixon, S., Morgan, K., Mathers, N. J., Thompson, J. L., & Tomeny, M. (2006) · Behavioral Sleep Medicine · doi:10.1207/s15402010bsm0402_1 · Cited by 31 · see citing works
Hoedemaekers, E., Jaspers, J., & van Tintelen, J. P. (2007) · American Journal of Medical Genetics Part A · doi:10.1002/ajmg.a.31871 · Cited by 22 · see citing works
Flagged first, then by citations
Cited by
Sorted by citations
Benzodiazepines revisited—will we ever learn?
Lader, M. (2011) · Addiction · doi:10.1111/j.1360-0443.2011.03563.x · Cited by 573 · see citing works
Koffel, E., Bramoweth, A. D., & Ulmer, C. S. (2018) · Journal of General Internal Medicine · doi:10.1007/s11606-018-4390-1 · Cited by 391 · see citing works
Zachariae, R., Amidi, A., Damholdt, M. F., Clausen, C. D. R., Dahlgaard, J., Lord, H., Thorndike, F. P., & Ritterband, L. M. (2018) · JNCI: Journal of the National Cancer Institute · doi:10.1093/jnci/djx293 · Cited by 212 · see citing works
Brupbacher, G., Gerger, H., Zander-Schellenberg, T., Straus, D., Porschke, H., Gerber, M., von Känel, R., & Schmidt-Trucksäss, A. (2021) · Sleep Medicine Reviews · doi:10.1016/j.smrv.2021.101452 · Cited by 64 · see citing works
BJORVATN, B., FISKE, E., & PALLESEN, S. (2011) · Scandinavian Journal of Psychology · doi:10.1111/j.1467-9450.2011.00902.x · Cited by 60 · see citing works
Self-citationFurukawa, Y., Sakata, M., Furukawa, T. A., Efthimiou, O., & Perlis, M. (2024) · Psychiatry and Clinical Neurosciences · doi:10.1111/pcn.13730 · Cited by 27 · see citing works
- Authors
- Omvik, S., Pallesen, S., Bjorvatn, B., Sivertsen, B., Havik, O. E., & Nordhus, I. H.
- Affiliations
- University of Bergen (NO)
- Haukeland University Hospital (NO)
- Corresponding author
- Omvik, Siri
- Venue
- International Clinical Psychopharmacology
- Published
- 2010-03
- Volume
- 25
- Issue
- 2
- Pages
- 91-100
- ISSN
- 0268-1315 (ISSN-L)
- OpenAlex
- W2044890527
- Cited by
- 95
- References
- 56
- Citations by year
- 2026: 3 · 2025: 9 · 2024: 7 · 2023: 10 · 2022: 9 · 2021: 7 · 2020: 4 · 2019: 5 · 2018: 5 · 2017: 10 · 2016: 6 · 2015: 3 · 2014: 5 · 2013: 5 · 2012: 1
- FWCI
- 5.00
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Locations
- International Clinical Psychopharmacology (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- Topics
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Experimental and Cognitive Psychology › Sleep and related disorders
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Epidemiology › Substance Abuse Treatment and Outcomes
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Geriatrics and Gerontology › Pharmaceutical Practices and Patient Outcomes
- Keywords
- sleep medication use, hypnotics, predictors of drug use, treatment satisfaction, sleep disorders, anxiety, depression, socioeconomic status, old age, sex differences, prevalence
- MeSH terms
- Adolescent, Adult, Age Factors, Aged, Anxiety, Depression, Drug Utilization, Female, Forecasting, Humans, Hypnotics and Sedatives, Sleep Initiation and Maintenance Disorders, Male, Middle Aged, Norway, Surveys and Questionnaires, Sleep Wake Disorders, Substance Withdrawal Syndrome, Patient Satisfaction, Health Care Surveys, Young Adult
About these checks
Registry, retraction, Cites and statistics results are computed, not judged, with one exception: a printed reference that no index lists is read once by a model before it counts as a citation error. Claims are extracted by a model and kept only when their quote appears verbatim in the text; each cited source is then checked, with a model’s help, for whether it says what the claim relies on. Those verdicts can be wrong — read the claim’s quote and the cited source before relying on one.
Statistics and arithmetic are recomputed, not judged.
Confidence bands are shown only for fields calibrated on our annotated test set. None is calibrated yet, so no band is shown.
What counts as a claim ›How we measure confidence ›How we check this ›
Are you an author, or do you see a problem with this page? Request a review
