Helping older adults safely stop using sleep medications
Enhancing Hypnotic Medication Discontinuation in Primary Care through Supervised Medication Tapering and Digital Cognitive Behavioral Insomnia Therapy
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.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | National Jewish Health NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Denver, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-10894918 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
This research aims to assist older adults who have been using hypnotic medications for insomnia by providing a structured approach to tapering off these medications under medical supervision. It combines physician-supervised medication tapering with digital cognitive behavioral therapy for insomnia, making it easier for patients to access effective non-drug treatments. The study will involve a large randomized trial to evaluate the effectiveness of this combined approach in primary care settings.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Ideal candidates for this research are older adults aged 65 and above who are currently using hypnotic medications for insomnia.
Not a fit: Patients who are not using hypnotic medications or those under 65 years of age may not benefit from this research.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this research could help older patients safely discontinue hypnotic medications, reducing dependency and improving overall health outcomes.
How similar studies have performed: Previous research has shown that physician-supervised tapering and cognitive behavioral therapy can be effective, indicating a promising approach for this study.
Where this research is happening
Denver, United States
- National Jewish Health — Denver, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Smith, Elizabeth Devon — National Jewish Health
- Study coordinator: Smith, Elizabeth Devon
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 below.