ID-5184 Wonca Abstracts supplement A-K 13-10-23 - Flipbook - Page 39
WONCA 2023 Supplement 1: WONCA 2023 abstracts (A–K)
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Insomnia assessment and management in general practice:
A skill-building session
Dr Catherine Andronis3, Kerry Hancock3,5, Prof Nick Zwar3,4, Ms Hailey Meaklim7, Robert Adams2,6,
Dr Alexander Sweetman1,2
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Australasian Sleep Association, 2Flinders University, 3RACGP, 4Bond University,
Chandlers Hill Surgery, 6SA Health, 7Monash University
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This interactive and engaging skill-building session was codesigned by general practitioners, sleep
specialists and implementation researchers to provide GPs with the hands-on skills and resources to
manage patients with insomnia disorder.
Chronic insomnia occurs in 2.5 million Australian adults at any given time. For the past six years, the
RACGP Health of the Nation survey has reported that sleeping problems are among the three most
common reasons that people present to general practice. Insomnia substantially reduces daytime
functioning, and quality of life, increases risk of major depression and incurs substantial economic
costs in Australia and worldwide. Over the past five years, an Insomnia Stakeholder Committee
has aimed to reshape the landscape of insomnia management throughout Australian primary care.
RACGP guidelines recommend Cognitive Behavioural Therapy for Insomnia (CBT-I) as the ‘first-line’
treatment for insomnia. However, only 1% of Australians with insomnia access CBT-I. Representatives
of the RACGP, ACRRM, Australasian Sleep Association, Sleep Health Foundation, Department of
Health, SAX Institute, Australian Psychological Society, consumers, clinicians and researcher institutes
have been coordinating an implementation program to improve CBT-I access throughout metropolitan,
rural and remote Australia.
This skill-building session will provide GPs and other primary care personnel with the latest evidencebased information on the assessment and management of insomnia in general practice. A new
online sleep health primary care resource approved as an RACGP-accepted clinical resource
will be presented in a series of interactive exercises. Evidence of the effect of CBT-I on insomnia,
mental health and physical health symptoms will be provided. Practical information about insomnia
treatment options, including a GP-administered Brief Behavioural Therapy for Insomnia (BBT-I)
program, evidence-based digital CBT-I, specialist referral options and pharmacological options, will be
discussed. Attendees will be invited to become involved in CBT-I implementation trials, to access the
latest evidence-based treatment and referral options for insomnia.
This session will be presented by Hailey Meaklim, Nick Zwar, Cathy Andronis and Alexander
Sweetman.
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