Identifying the Demographic and Mental Health Factors That Influence Insomnia Treatment Recommendations Within a Veteran Population

Objective/Background: Insomnia is a pervasive and costly disorder that is particularly prevalent within the U.S. Veteran population. Although Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Insomnia (CBT-I) is the recommended first-line treatment for insomnia, high rates of sedative-hypnotic prescribing continue. There is little research investigating the rates and factors impacting insomnia treatment recommendations, both behavioral and pharmacological. Participants: A cohort of 5,254 Veterans referred for either CBT-I or prescribed a sedative-hypnotic medication at a single VA Medical Center composed the group of participants. Methods: The current study evaluated the rates of insomnia treatment recommendations and the extent to which demographic variables, psychiatric disorders, and sleep disorders contributed to referrals for CBT-I or prescriptions for sedative-hypnotic medications within a large administrative data set. Results: Military service-related disability, insomnia diagnosis, and having one or more psychiatric diagnoses were associated with a greater likelihood of receiving a CBT-I referral (alone or in addition to a sedative-hypnotic medication) rather than a sedative-hypnotic prescription alone. A diagnosis of posttraumatic stress disorder was associated with a greater likelihood of receiving a sedative-hypnotic medication alone versus a CBT-I referral. Conclusions: Overall, the findings suggest that sedative-hypnotic medications were overwhelmingly the primary treatment recommendation despite evidence to support CBT-I as the recommended first-line treatment. However, key factors were identified that increased the likelihood of Veterans being referred for CBT-I. Suggestions for better identifying and understanding key factors that impact treatment recommendations are discussed.