NRN Sleep, Alcohol Study Seeks to Enroll More Participants

The AAFP National Research Network, or NRN, is renewing its call for participants for its Patient Sleep Problems and Alcohol Consumption Study. To date, the study has enrolled more than 70 clinicians and 1,200 patients. Researchers on the project are hoping to enroll a total of 100 clinicians by May 2008.

The study, which is being funded by a research grant from the Society of General Internal Medicine, is designed to investigate

Initial results of the study show that more than 10 percent of enrolled patients reported exceeding safe per-week drinking limits, while around 8 percent reported drinking heavily at least once per month. In addition, more than 50 percent of participants said they experienced initial insomnia at least once per week, and 27 percent reported using a sleeping medication at least once per week.

Study researchers have not yet begun to assess whether a correlation between these sleep problems and alcohol consumption exists; they will begin investigating the possibility of any such connection at the conclusion of the study, which will be early this fall.

Study investigators say they hope to find clinicians who are willing to enroll adult patients for three half-days during a two-week period, and that each clinician will be able to enroll as many as 30 patients. These patients will complete a post-visit questionnaire; clinicians will complete a five-question questionnaire for each study patient.

At the end of the study, researchers will provide each clinician participant with a report summarizing the level of concordance between the clinician and his or her enrolled patients (in aggregate) regarding the clinician's awareness of these patients' alcohol and/or sleep problems. Each participating clinician also will receive information comparing results for that clinician's patient panel with those of all the participants in the study.

For their involvement, clinicians receive a stipend. Participating physicians also can receive CME credit for participation, and they will be acknowledged in study publications.

To participate in the study or to obtain more information about it, call project manager Brian Manning, M.P.H., at (800) 274-2237, Ext. 3179, or send him an e-mail. Questions also may be directed to NRN Director James Galliher, Ph.D., at (800) 274-2237, Ext. 3170, or via e-mail.