Predisposing, Precipitating, and Perpetuating Factors of Insomnia in Cancer Survivors

Objectives: To explore and characterize predisposing, precipitating, and perpetuating factors of subthreshold, moderate, and severe insomnia in cancer survivors.

Sample & Setting: 135 cancer survivors who self-reported symptom severity on the Insomnia Severity Index during the baseline phase of a randomized clinical trial on insomnia treatment.

Methods & Variables: Participants completed measures assessing predisposing factors (age, sex, race and ethnicity, body mass index), precipitating factors (number of years since cancer diagnosis, depression and anxiety symptoms, health-related quality of life), and perpetuating factors (frequency of consuming alcoholic and caffeinated beverages, napping behavior, dysfunctional beliefs about sleep).

Results: In the multivariate model, being female was protective against insomnia, and being a person of color, having higher anxiety, having more depression symptoms, and having stronger dysfunctional beliefs about sleep were significantly associated with greater insomnia severity.

Implications for Nursing: By fostering interprofessional collaboration and implementing evidence-based interventions, nurses can contribute to the well-being of cancer survivors and address their sleep-related challenges. This study underscores the importance of regular insomnia screenings for cancer survivors, with nurses as essential facilitators.