Making online cognitive behavioral therapy for insomnia easier to use and stick with
Official title: Enhancing digital CBT-I to improve adherence and reduce disparities
Funded at Henry Ford Health System · NIH-11177797 · Data updated 2026-11-12
An improved online CBT program aims to help adults with insomnia complete treatment and follow key sleep‑improving steps, especially people with lower income or low health literacy.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Henry Ford Health System NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Detroit, United States) |
| Project start | September 20, 2021 |
| Project end | May 31, 2026 |
| Funding year | 2025 |
| Award (this year) | $522,321 |
| NIH project number | 5R01HL159180-05 |
| Project ID | NIH-11177797 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Adults aged 21 and older who have insomnia and can use an internet‑based program, including those with lower health literacy or lower socioeconomic status.
✕Less likely to help
People whose sleep problems are primarily from untreated sleep apnea, severe medical or psychiatric conditions, or who prefer and require in‑person therapy may not benefit from this online program.
What this research studies
This project compares an enhanced version of digital CBT for insomnia (dCBT‑I) to a standard online program to see if changes improve completion and adherence. The trial will enroll adults and intentionally include people with lower socioeconomic status to measure and reduce disparities. Enhancements target health literacy and usability so people can better understand and apply treatment recommendations. Outcomes include program completion, adherence to core CBT‑I components, and sleep outcomes over the study period.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, more people could finish effective online insomnia treatment and get better sleep, which may reduce related health problems and narrow treatment gaps.
How similar studies have gone: Previous trials show digital CBT‑I can improve insomnia, but many users drop out, so using health‑literacy and usability enhancements is promising but not yet proven at large scale.
Where this research is happening
-
Henry Ford Health System
Detroit, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Cheng, Philip — Henry Ford Health System
- Study coordinator: Cheng, Philip
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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.