Telephone-Coached Sleep Bibliotherapy for Dementia Caregivers
Official title: Telephone-Coached Sleep Bibliotherapy for Informal Caregivers of People With Dementia: A Randomized Controlled Trial
Run by The Hong Kong Polytechnic University · NCT07826663 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This study tests whether an 8-week, telephone-guided sleep self-help program helps informal caregivers of people with dementia sleep better.
Quick facts
| Study type | Interventional |
|---|---|
| Ages | 18 Years and up |
| Sex | All |
| Enrollment | 120 (estimated) |
| Sponsor | The Hong Kong Polytechnic University Academic / other |
| Locations | 1 site (Hung Hom, Kowloon) |
| Status | Recruiting |
| Started | August 1, 2026 |
| Main results expected | December 2028 |
| Study ends | December 2028 |
| Registry record updated | September 17, 2026 |
| Trial ID | NCT07826663 on ClinicalTrials.gov |
Is this trial a fit for you?
✓Likely a good fit
Adult informal caregivers (18+) living with or actively caring for a family member with dementia, reporting sleep problems, and not using sleep medications or on stable treatment for at least 6 weeks.
✕Probably not a fit
Caregivers with complex sleep disorders, cognitive impairment themselves, or those receiving other sleep-focused treatments may not benefit.
A plain-English reading of the study's rules. Only the study team can confirm whether you qualify.
What this trial studies
This randomized controlled trial compares an 8-week telephone-coached sleep bibliotherapy program to a control educational booklet for informal caregivers of people with dementia. Participants are randomized to receive guided, self-directed sleep improvement materials or a booklet with weekly check-ins, in addition to usual community services. Outcomes include sleep quality, caregiving appraisal, beliefs about sleep, emotional distress, care recipient neuropsychiatric symptoms, and quality of life, assessed at baseline, after the program, and 3 months later. The primary outcome is sleep quality measured by the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI). The study aims to determine if a low-cost, scalable intervention can improve caregiver sleep and well-being.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, caregivers may sleep better and experience improved well-being with a scalable, low-cost intervention.
How similar studies have gone: Prior home-based sleep interventions have shown potential in caregiver populations, but telephone-coached bibliotherapy for dementia caregivers is a relatively novel approach in this context.
Who can join: the full rules
Show full inclusion / exclusion criteria
Inclusion criteria: a) aged 18 years or older; b) provide unpaid care to a family member with dementia; c) living with the patient or actively involved in the patient's care daily for a minimum of 4 hours/day for at least 6 months; d) endorse one or more sleep problems; e) having the sleep problem with an average of 3 or more nights per week during the past month; d) taking no medication for sleep or stabilized on current medication for at least 6 weeks; e) could be contacted by phone. Exclusion criteria: a) report a prior diagnosis of primary sleep disorder (e.g., sleep apnoea); b) have a severe chronic illness that could cause their sleep problems (e.g., emphysema); c) receive medical, psychological, or psychiatric treatment for sleep disturbance or depression; d) have cognitive impairment; e) be included in another interventional study.
Where it's running
-
The Hong Kong Polytechnic University
Hung Hom, Kowloon, Hong Kong Recruiting
Study contacts
- Study coordinator: Shanshan WANG, PhD
- Email: shan-shan.wang@polyu.edu.hk
- Phone: +852 2766 4696
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How to take part
- Review the eligibility criteria above with your treating physician.
- Check the official listing on ClinicalTrials.gov for the latest contact details and recruitment status.
- Contact the study coordinator or principal investigator to ask for pre-screening. Pre-screening is free and never obligates you to enroll.