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Sleeping-related distress in a palliative care population : A national, prospective, consecutive cohort

Currow, David C. ; Davis, Walter ; Connolly, Alanna ; Krishnan, Anu ; Wong, Aaron ; Webster, Andrew ; Barnes-Harris, Matilda M.M. ; Daveson, Barb and Ekström, Magnus LU orcid (2021) In Palliative Medicine 35(9). p.1663-1670
Abstract

Background: Sleep, a multi-dimensional experience, is essential for optimal physical and mental wellbeing. Poor sleep is associated with worse wellbeing but data are scarce from multi-site studies on sleeping-related distress in palliative care populations. Aim: To evaluate patient-reported distress related to sleep and explore key demographic and symptom distress related to pain, breathing or fatigue. Design: Australian national, consecutive cohort study with prospectively collected point-of-care data using symptoms from the Symptom Assessment Scale (SAS). Setting/Participants: People (n = 118,117; 475,298 phases of care) who died while being seen by specialist palliative care services (n = 152) 2013–2019. Settings: inpatient (direct... (More)

Background: Sleep, a multi-dimensional experience, is essential for optimal physical and mental wellbeing. Poor sleep is associated with worse wellbeing but data are scarce from multi-site studies on sleeping-related distress in palliative care populations. Aim: To evaluate patient-reported distress related to sleep and explore key demographic and symptom distress related to pain, breathing or fatigue. Design: Australian national, consecutive cohort study with prospectively collected point-of-care data using symptoms from the Symptom Assessment Scale (SAS). Setting/Participants: People (n = 118,117; 475,298 phases of care) who died while being seen by specialist palliative care services (n = 152) 2013–2019. Settings: inpatient (direct care, consultative); community (outpatient clinics, home, residential aged care). Results: Moderate/severe levels of sleeping-related distress were reported in 11.9% of assessments, more frequently by males (12.7% vs 10.9% females); people aged <50 years (16.2% vs 11.5%); and people with cancer (12.3% vs 10.0% for other diagnoses). Sleeping-related distress peaked with mid-range Australia-modified Karnofsky Performance Status scores (40–60). Strong associations existed between pain-, breathing- and fatigue-related distress in people who identified moderate/severe sleeping-related distress, adjusted for age, sex and functional status. Those reporting moderate/severe sleeping-related distress were also more likely to experience severe pain-related distress (adjusted odds ratios [OR] 6.6; 95% confidence interval (CI) 6.3, 6.9); breathing-related distress (OR 6.2; 95% CI 5.8, 6.6); and fatigue-related distress (OR 10.4; 95% CI 9.99–10.8). Conclusions: This large, representative study of palliative care patients shows high prevalence of sleeping-related distress, with strong associations shown to distress from other symptoms including pain, breathlessness and fatigue.

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author
; ; ; ; ; ; ; and
organization
publishing date
type
Contribution to journal
publication status
published
subject
keywords
Palliative care, prospective cohort study, sleep, symptom cluster, symptom control
in
Palliative Medicine
volume
35
issue
9
pages
1663 - 1670
publisher
SAGE Publications
external identifiers
  • pmid:33726609
  • scopus:85102702529
ISSN
0269-2163
DOI
10.1177/0269216321998558
language
English
LU publication?
yes
id
6d42e395-ef79-487c-ac0b-e0731f94e38a
date added to LUP
2021-04-06 11:13:25
date last changed
2024-06-16 11:47:36
@article{6d42e395-ef79-487c-ac0b-e0731f94e38a,
  abstract     = {{<p>Background: Sleep, a multi-dimensional experience, is essential for optimal physical and mental wellbeing. Poor sleep is associated with worse wellbeing but data are scarce from multi-site studies on sleeping-related distress in palliative care populations. Aim: To evaluate patient-reported distress related to sleep and explore key demographic and symptom distress related to pain, breathing or fatigue. Design: Australian national, consecutive cohort study with prospectively collected point-of-care data using symptoms from the Symptom Assessment Scale (SAS). Setting/Participants: People (n = 118,117; 475,298 phases of care) who died while being seen by specialist palliative care services (n = 152) 2013–2019. Settings: inpatient (direct care, consultative); community (outpatient clinics, home, residential aged care). Results: Moderate/severe levels of sleeping-related distress were reported in 11.9% of assessments, more frequently by males (12.7% vs 10.9% females); people aged &lt;50 years (16.2% vs 11.5%); and people with cancer (12.3% vs 10.0% for other diagnoses). Sleeping-related distress peaked with mid-range Australia-modified Karnofsky Performance Status scores (40–60). Strong associations existed between pain-, breathing- and fatigue-related distress in people who identified moderate/severe sleeping-related distress, adjusted for age, sex and functional status. Those reporting moderate/severe sleeping-related distress were also more likely to experience severe pain-related distress (adjusted odds ratios [OR] 6.6; 95% confidence interval (CI) 6.3, 6.9); breathing-related distress (OR 6.2; 95% CI 5.8, 6.6); and fatigue-related distress (OR 10.4; 95% CI 9.99–10.8). Conclusions: This large, representative study of palliative care patients shows high prevalence of sleeping-related distress, with strong associations shown to distress from other symptoms including pain, breathlessness and fatigue.</p>}},
  author       = {{Currow, David C. and Davis, Walter and Connolly, Alanna and Krishnan, Anu and Wong, Aaron and Webster, Andrew and Barnes-Harris, Matilda M.M. and Daveson, Barb and Ekström, Magnus}},
  issn         = {{0269-2163}},
  keywords     = {{Palliative care; prospective cohort study; sleep; symptom cluster; symptom control}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  number       = {{9}},
  pages        = {{1663--1670}},
  publisher    = {{SAGE Publications}},
  series       = {{Palliative Medicine}},
  title        = {{Sleeping-related distress in a palliative care population : A national, prospective, consecutive cohort}},
  url          = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.1177/0269216321998558}},
  doi          = {{10.1177/0269216321998558}},
  volume       = {{35}},
  year         = {{2021}},
}