Objectives: To evaluate a nurse-led, telemedicine-delivered cognitive behavioral therapy for insomnia (CBTI) in rural breast cancer survivors (BCSs).
Sample & setting: 18 BCSs diagnosed with stage I-III breast cancer in the rural western United States.
Methods & variables: In this prospective, pre-/post-test, quasiexperimental feasibility pilot trial, BCSs attended six weekly sessions of CBTI via Internet videoconference. Feasibility was assessed using recruitment and acceptability of the intervention. Primary outcomes were diary-based sleep efficiency (SE), sleep latency (SL), total sleep time, wake after sleep onset, and number of nightly awakenings; secondary outcomes included quality of life (QOL), mental health, and daily functioning.
Results: Following the intervention, participants reported improvements in sleep outcomes, including SE and SL. QOL and daily functioning improved, but anxiety and depression did not.
Implications for nursing: Nurse-led, telemedicine-delivered CBTI for rural BCSs is feasible and may be effective in managing insomnia. Additional research is needed to determine widespread effectiveness and best practices for dissemination and implementation.
Keywords: breast cancer; cognitive behavioral therapy; insomnia; rural; telemedicine.