Christopher B Miller1, Lisa Valenti2, Christopher M Harrison2, Delwyn J Bartlett1,3, Nick Glozier4, Nathan E Cross1, Ronald R Grunstein1,3,5, Helena C Britt2, Nathaniel S Marshall1,6. 1. CIRUS, Centre for Sleep and Chronobiology, Woolcock Institute of Medical Research, The University of Sydney, New South Wales, Australia. 2. Family Medicine Research Centre, School of Public Health, Sydney Medical School, The University of Sydney, New South Wales, Australia. 3. Sydney Medical School, The University of Sydney, New South Wales, Australia. 4. Brain and Mind Centre, The University of Sydney, New South Wales, Australia. 5. Department of Respiratory and Sleep Medicine, RPAH, Sydney Local Health District, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia. 6. Sydney Nursing School, The University of Sydney, New South Wales, Australia.
Abstract
STUDY OBJECTIVES: To evaluate changes in rates of family physician (FP) management of insomnia in Australia from 2000-2015. METHODS: The Bettering the Evaluation And Care of Health (BEACH) program is a nationally representative cross-sectional survey of 1,000 newly randomly sampled family physicians' activity in Australia per year, who each record details of 100 consecutive patient encounters. This provided records of approximately 100,000 encounters each year. We identified all encounters with patients older than 15 years where insomnia or difficulty sleeping was managed and assessed trends in these encounters from 2000-2015. RESULTS: There was no change in the management rate of insomnia from 2000-2007 (1.54 per 100 encounters [95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.49-1.58]). This rate was lower from 2008-2015 (1.31 per 100 encounters [95% CI: 1.27-1.35]). There was no change in FP management: pharmacotherapy was used in approximately 90% of encounters; nonpharmacological advice was given at approximately 20%; and onward referral at approximately 1% of encounters. Prescription of temazepam changed from 54.6 [95% CI: 51.4-57.9] per 100 insomnia problems in 2000-2001 to 43.6 [95% CI: 40.1-47.0] in 2014-2015, whereas zolpidem increased steadily from introduction in 2000 to 14.6 [95% CI: 12.2-17.1] per 100 insomnia problems in 2006-2007, and then decreased to 7.3 [95% CI: 5.4-9.2] by 2014-2015. CONCLUSIONS: Insomnia management frequency decreased after 2007 in conjunction with ecologically associated Australian media reporting of adverse effects linked to zolpidem use. Australian FPs remain reliant on pharmacotherapy for the management of insomnia.
STUDY OBJECTIVES: To evaluate changes in rates of family physician (FP) management of insomnia in Australia from 2000-2015. METHODS: The Bettering the Evaluation And Care of Health (BEACH) program is a nationally representative cross-sectional survey of 1,000 newly randomly sampled family physicians' activity in Australia per year, who each record details of 100 consecutive patient encounters. This provided records of approximately 100,000 encounters each year. We identified all encounters with patients older than 15 years where insomnia or difficulty sleeping was managed and assessed trends in these encounters from 2000-2015. RESULTS: There was no change in the management rate of insomnia from 2000-2007 (1.54 per 100 encounters [95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.49-1.58]). This rate was lower from 2008-2015 (1.31 per 100 encounters [95% CI: 1.27-1.35]). There was no change in FP management: pharmacotherapy was used in approximately 90% of encounters; nonpharmacological advice was given at approximately 20%; and onward referral at approximately 1% of encounters. Prescription of temazepam changed from 54.6 [95% CI: 51.4-57.9] per 100 insomnia problems in 2000-2001 to 43.6 [95% CI: 40.1-47.0] in 2014-2015, whereas zolpidem increased steadily from introduction in 2000 to 14.6 [95% CI: 12.2-17.1] per 100 insomnia problems in 2006-2007, and then decreased to 7.3 [95% CI: 5.4-9.2] by 2014-2015. CONCLUSIONS:Insomnia management frequency decreased after 2007 in conjunction with ecologically associated Australian media reporting of adverse effects linked to zolpidem use. Australian FPs remain reliant on pharmacotherapy for the management of insomnia.
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