Cognitive behavioral therapy for insomnia is equally effective when delivered through telemedicine services or in-person care, according to preliminary research published in Oxford Academic.
Ann Arbor-based University of Michigan researchers performed a randomized, controlled trial to test the similarities and differences between telemedicine-based and in-person care-based cognitive behavioral therapy for insomnia. The analysis comprised 47 participants with chronic insomnia who represented an average age of 52 years old.
Study participants were randomly selected to complete either six sessions of CBT delivered in person or with the American Academy of Sleep Medicine telemedicine system. Individuals were also required to complete a sleep diary throughout the treatment period and measure daytime levels of fatigue, depression, anxiety and overall functioning both pre- and post-treatment.
Results of the study showed that participants' satisfaction ratings with treatment were equal for both telemedicine-based and in-person CBT. Researchers concluded that because patients' perceptions of each care model were similar, telemedicine may offer a more convenient treatment model for patients without compromising quality of in-person care.