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Supportive Care in Cancer

Published in:

01-06-2012 | Original Article

Utilization of hypnotic medication in the context of cancer: predictors and frequency of use

Authors: Lucie Casault, Josée Savard, Hans Ivers, Marie-Hélène Savard, Sébastien Simard

Published in: Supportive Care in Cancer | Issue 6/2012

Abstract

Objective

The present study aims to document the frequency of use of hypnotic medication among a large sample of randomly selected patients having been treated for various types of cancer, as well as to identify the sociodemographic, psychosocial, and medical factors that characterize the users of this type of medication.

Methods

Five thousand patients who had received treatment for breast, prostate, lung, or colorectal cancer at the L’Hôtel-Dieu de Québec were solicited by mail to take part in this study. Among these patients, 1,984 (39.7%) agreed to complete a battery of questionnaires.

Results

Overall, 22.6% of the patients were currently consuming hypnotic medication. Factors associated with a greater utilization of hypnotic medication were older age, greater difficulties initiating sleep, more stressful life events experienced in the past 6 months, higher levels of anxiety, past or current psychological difficulties, poorer role functioning, less severe urinary symptoms, greater use of opioids, and past or current chemotherapy treatments.

Conclusions

These results are consistent with those of previous studies conducted in cancer patients in showing high rates of hypnotic medication use. Moreover, this study identified several factors that might help identify persons at risk of using this type of medication and, therefore, to experience the potential negative effects of chronic hypnotics use.

One exception is eszopiclone for which evidence of sustained efficacy for 6 months has been published [4], but it has not been marketed yet in several countries, including Canada.

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Title: Utilization of hypnotic medication in the context of cancer: predictors and frequency of use
Authors: Lucie Casault
Josée Savard
Hans Ivers
Marie-Hélène Savard
Sébastien Simard
Publication date: 01-06-2012
Publisher: Springer-Verlag
Published in: Supportive Care in Cancer / Issue 6/2012
Print ISSN: 0941-4355
Electronic ISSN: 1433-7339
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00520-011-1199-4

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