Sleep disturbances among methadone maintained patients

We examined the relationship of sleep disturbance and demographic, mental health, drug use and other factors among 225 methadone-maintained individuals. The cohort was 78% Caucasian and 54% male with a mean age of 41 years. Sleep disturbance was measured using the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) with a score > 5 indicating poor global sleep quality. Eighty-four percent of subjects had PSQI scores of six or higher. In multivariate analysis, depressive symptoms, anxiety symptoms, greater nicotine dependence, bodily pain, and unemployment were associated with poorer global sleep quality (p < .01). Targeting modifiable psychological and medical risk factors that are most strongly associated with sleep disturbance may improve quality of life in drug treatment. (C) 2004 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.