Cancer, sleep problems, and mind-body medicine use: Results of the 2017 National Health Interview Survey

Abstract

Background: Sleep problems affect physical and emotional well-being as well as immune system function. Evidence has demonstrated an improvement in sleep problems in patients with cancer through the use of mind-body medicine (MBM). In the current study, the authors sought to elucidate the prevalence of sleep problems and the use of MBM in adult cancer survivors. Methods: The authors analyzed data from the 2017 US National Health Interview Survey (NHIS) to estimate the prevalence of sleep problems and use of MBM in adult cancer survivors using means, standard deviations, weighted frequencies, and distributions. Backward stepwise multiple logistic regression analyses were used to identify independent predictors of MBM use within the past 12 months: age, sex, ethnicity, region, educational level, employment, and time since cancer diagnosis. Results: A weighted total of 13,750,028 cancer survivors (59.2%) reported sleep problems. For the most part, survivors with sleep problems were aged ≥40 years, female, and non-Hispanic white. More survivors with (weighted N = 3,794,493; 27.6%) compared with without (weighted N = 1,695,435; 17.9%) sleep problems used MBM. Among cancer survivors with sleep problems, the most commonly used mind-body practice was spiritual meditation (weighted N = 1,972,578; 14.3%), followed by yoga (weighted N = 1,695,553; 17.9%). The use of MBM was independently predicted by being female, living in the western United States, having a higher educational level, and being employed. Conclusions: The high prevalence of sleep problems in cancer survivors is a major health issue that needs to be addressed. A considerable number of cancer survivors with sleep problems use MBM. This finding warrants the investigation of MBM concepts as treatment options for cancer survivors experiencing sleep problems.