Brief versus standard behavioral sleep treatment for socioeconomically disadvantaged adults in primary care
Official title: A hybrid effectiveness-implementation trial evaluating behavioral treatments for insomnia for socioeconomic disadvantaged adults in primary care
Funded at Brigham and Women's Hospital · NIH-11187003 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This project compares a short, easy-to-deliver behavioral sleep program with the usual longer therapy to help adults with insomnia who face financial or social barriers.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Brigham and Women's Hospital NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Boston, United States) |
| Project start | September 20, 2022 |
| Project end | June 30, 2028 |
| Funding year | 2025 |
| Award (this year) | $683,248 |
| NIH project number | 5R33HL164688-03 |
| Project ID | NIH-11187003 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Adults aged 21 and older with chronic insomnia who receive care in primary care clinics and who are socioeconomically disadvantaged (for example, low-income or from underrepresented racial/ethnic groups).
✕Less likely to help
People under 21, those with untreated or complex sleep disorders needing specialty care (such as severe sleep apnea), or those with very complex medical or psychiatric conditions may not benefit from the brief primary-care approach.
What this research studies
If you join, you'll be adults seen in primary care who have trouble sleeping, and you'll be offered either a brief behavioral treatment for insomnia (BBTI) or the standard cognitive-behavioral therapy for insomnia (CBTI). The team will deliver treatments in primary care settings to make them easier to access and will track sleep, mood, and daily functioning over time. Researchers will also study how well these treatments can be rolled out in real-world clinics, including training needs and language/access barriers. The goal is to find a scalable way to bring effective sleep care to people who often miss out on insomnia treatment.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, the project could make effective behavioral sleep treatment more available in primary care, reducing insomnia and its related health risks for disadvantaged adults.
How similar studies have gone: Prior studies show brief behavioral insomnia treatments can improve sleep in the short term, but direct comparisons with full CBTI—especially among low-income adults in primary care—are limited.
Where this research is happening
-
Brigham and Women's Hospital
Boston, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Bertisch, Suzanne — Brigham and Women's Hospital
- Study coordinator: Bertisch, Suzanne
Related research
Other NIH-funded projects on the same topics.
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Hybrid approach to treating insomnia in socioeconomically disadvantaged adults in primary care
A study tests whether a shorter, easier-to-deliver insomnia treatment works as well as standard therapy for low-income adults seen in primary care.
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This study is helping older adults who want to stop using sleep medications by offering a safe way to reduce their use while also providing online therapy to improve their sleep naturally.
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This study is looking at a new, shorter way to help people with insomnia who may not have easy access to traditional treatments, making it easier for those who need help the most to get better sleep.
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About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page.