Trouble sleeping? You are not alone. Sleep problems and insomnia affect nearly 40 percent of Americans each year. Not only is insomnia very common, it is also associated with increased risk of stroke,[1] diabetes,[2] obesity,[3] alcohol misuse,[4] depression[5] and anxiety.[6] When individuals have insomnia and another one of these conditions, it can be particularly problematic. Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) is widely recognized as the gold standard for long-term management of insomnia.[7],[8],[9],[10] However, CBT can be difficult to access and is relatively inaccessible for individuals with limited economic security.
Through increasing access to quality, well-studied CBT programs, Magellan seeks to reduce the overall cost-of-care and improve individual health outcomes. Team members at Magellan recently collaborated with academic researchers on a project to make Magellan’s computerized CBT programs, referred to as Cobalt, accessible to patients with insomnia in a community health setting. Participants included individuals who lived in shelters and community homes, as well as individuals with serious mental illness.
Participants received access to RESTORETM, one of several data-driven programs in the Cobalt suite, which has been shown to be effective in randomized controlled trials. RESTORETM has also won praise from the American Academy of Sleep Medicine [11] and received the highest rating from the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Administration’s (SAMHSA) National Registry of Evidence-based Programs and Practices. The research findings, published in the Journal of Clinical Sleep Medicine, demonstrated significant improvements in sleep quality. This suggests that implementing RESTORETM in a community mental health center setting may make accessing effective tools for improving sleep a straightforward process.[12]
Magellan continues to lead in the healthcare field through collaborations like this one, where academic partners are collecting real-world data that demonstrate how its industry leading Cobalt programs can help increase access, lower costs, and improve individual health outcomes. We are excited by the power of technology to improve care and access to care for individuals regardless of their economic status, as we work to lead humanity to healthy, vibrant lives.
[1] Elwood, P., Hack, M., Pickering, J., Hughes, J., & Gallacher, J. (2006). Sleep disturbance, stroke, and heart disease events: evidence from Caerphilly cohort. Journal of Epidemiology Community Health 0:69-73.
[2] Cappuccio, F., D’Elia L., Strazzullo P., & Miller, M.A. (2010). Quantity and quality of sleep and incidence of type 2 diabetes. Diabetes Care; 33:414-20.
[3] Gangwisch, J., Malaspina, D., Boden-Albala, B., & Heymsfield, S.B. (2005). Inadequate sleep as a risk factor for obesity: analyses of the NHANES I. Sleep; 28:1289-96.
[4] Crum, R.M., Storr, C.L., Chan, Y-F., Ford, D.E. (2004). Sleep disturbance and risk for alcohol-related problems. American Journal of Psychiatry;61:1197-203.
[5] Riemann, D., Voderholzer, U. (2003). Primary insomnia: a risk factor to develop depression? Journal of Affect Disorder; 76:255-9.
[6] Breslau, N., Roth, T., Rosenthal, L., Andreski, P. (1996). Sleep disturbance and psychiatric disorders: a longitudinal epidemiological study of young adults. Biological Psychiatry;39:411-8.
[7] Schatzberg, A. F., & Nemeroff, C. B. (2009). The American Psychiatric Publishing textbook of psychopharmacology. Washington, D.C: American Psychiatric Pub.
[8] American Psychological Association. (2004). Getting a Good Night’s Sleep with the Help of Psychology.
[9] American Academy of Sleep Medicine (2013). Evaluation and Management of Chronic Insomnia in Adults.
[10] Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality. (2013). Clinical practice guidelines for the management of patients with insomnia in primary care.
[11] American Academy of Sleep Medicine. (2009). Online Cognitive Behavioral Therapy is Effective in Treating Chronic Insomnia.
[12] Feuerstein, S.D., Hodges, S. Keenaghan, B.C., Bessette, A., Forselius, E., & Morgan, P.T. (2016). Computerized Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Insomnia in a Community Health Setting. Journal of Clinical Sleep Medicine.
