Paper

Sleep problems in cancer patients: prevalence and association with distress and pain

  1. Neelom Sharma1,
  2. Christian Holm Hansen1,
  3. Mark O'Connor1,
  4. Jane Walker1,
  5. Annet Kleiboer1,
  6. Gordon Murray2,
  7. Colin Espie3,
  8. Dawn Storey1,
  9. Michael Sharpe1,*

Article first published online: 1 JUL 2011

DOI: 10.1002/pon.2004

Additional Information

How to Cite

Sharma, N., Hansen, C. H., O'Connor, M., Walker, J., Kleiboer, A., Murray, G., Espie, C., Storey, D. and Sharpe, M. (2011), Sleep problems in cancer patients: prevalence and association with distress and pain. Psycho-Oncology. doi: 10.1002/pon.2004

Author Information

  1. 1

    Psychological Medicine Research, Edinburgh Cancer Research Centre, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK

  2. 2

    Centre for Population Health Sciences, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK

  3. 3

    Psychological Medicine, Division of Community Health Sciences, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, UK

*Psychological Medicine Research, University of Edinburgh, Kennedy Tower, Royal Edinburgh Hospital, Edinburgh EH10 5HF, UK. E-mail: Michael.Sharpe@ed.ac.uk

Publication History

  1. Article first published online: 1 JUL 2011
  2. Manuscript Accepted: 9 MAY 2011
  3. Manuscript Revised: 19 APR 2011
  4. Manuscript Received: 13 MAR 2011

Funded by

  • Cancer Research UK Programme. Grant Number: C5547/A7375

SEARCH

SEARCH BY CITATION

ARTICLE TOOLS

View Full Article (HTML) Get PDF (157K)

Keywords:

  • sleep;
  • pain;
  • distress;
  • epidemiology;
  • cancer;
  • oncology

Abstract

Background:Although it is increasingly recognized that cancer patients often have sleep problems, we lack data on their prevalence and associations in representative clinical populations. We aimed to determine (i) the prevalence of sleep problems amongst outpatients of a cancer centre and (ii) the association with medical variables, emotional distress and pain.

Methods:Secondary analysis of self-report and medical data on 2862 cancer centre outpatients. Sleep problems were identified using the sleep item from the Patient Health Questionnaire-9: ‘Over the last two weeks, how often have you been bothered by trouble falling or staying asleep or sleeping too much?’ scored on a four-point frequency scale. Emotional distress was measured using the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale and pain using the subscale of the European Organisation for Research and Treatment of Cancer Quality of Life Core 30 questionnaire. Medical data were obtained from the cancer centre clinical database.

Results:Sleep problems (bothered more than half the days during the previous 2 weeks) were reported by 30.2% (865/2862, 95% CI = 28.5 to 31.9) of the patients. They were common in both patients with active cancer (34.5%) and in cancer survivors (28.0%). There was only a modest association with cancer site and treatment status, but there was a strong association with pain (odds ratio = 2.7, 95% CI = 2.2 to 3.4) and emotional distress (odds ratio = 4.5, 95% CI = 3.7 to 5.6).

Conclusions:Sleep problems are common in cancer outpatients and are strongly associated with pain and emotional distress. A combined approach to the management of sleep, pain and emotional distress is indicated. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

View Full Article (HTML) Get PDF (157K)