Can a community pharmacy sleep assessment tool aid the identification of patients at risk of sleep disorders in the community: a pilot study

n a community pharmacy sleep assessment tool aid the identification of patients at risk of sleep disorders in the community: a pilot study Original Research (808) Total Article Views Authors: Kashyap KC, Nissen LM, Smith SS, Douglas JA, Kyle GJ Published Date November 2012 Volume 2012:1 Pages 3 - 12 DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.2147/IPRP.S36328 Received: 24 July 2012 Accepted: 20 September 2012 Published: 09 November 2012 Krishneeta C Kashyap,1 Lisa M Nissen,1 Simon S Smith,2 James A Douglas,3 Greg J Kyle4 1School of Pharmacy, University of Queensland, Woolloongabba, Queensland, Australia; 2Centre for Accident Research and Road Safety, Queensland University of Technology, Kelvin Grove, Queensland, Australia; 3The Prince Charles Hospital, Chermside, Queensland, Australia; 4School of Pharmacy, University of Canberra, Bruce, Canberra, Australia Background: When experiencing sleep problems for the first time, consumers may often approach community pharmacists for advice as they are easily accessible health care professionals in the community. In Australian community pharmacies there are no specific tools available for use by pharmacists to assist with the assessment and handling of consumers with sleep enquiries. Objective: To assess the feasibility of improving the detection of sleep disorders within the community through the pilot of a newly developed Community Pharmacy Sleep Assessment Tool (COP-SAT). Method: The COP-SAT was designed to incorporate elements from a number of existing, standardized, and validated clinical screening measures. The COP-SAT was trialed in four Australian community pharmacies over a 4-week period. Key findings: A total of 241 community pharmacy consumers were assessed using the COP-SAT. A total of 74 (30.7%) were assessed as being at risk of insomnia, 26 (10.7%) were at risk of daytime sleepiness, 19 (7.9%) were at risk of obstructive sleep apnea, and 121 (50.2%) were regular snorers. A total of 116 (48.1%) participants indicated that they consume caffeine before bedtime, of which 55 (47%) had associated symptoms of sleep onset insomnia. Moreover, 85 (35%) consumed alcohol before bedtime, of which 50 (58%) experienced fragmented sleep, 50 (58%) were regular snorers, and nine (10.6%) had apnea symptoms. The COP-SAT was feasible in the community pharmacy setting. The prevalence of sleep disorders in the sampled population was high, but generally consistent with previous studies on the general population. Conclusion: A large proportion of participants reported sleep disorder symptoms, and a link was found between the consumption of alcohol and caffeine substances at bedtime and associated symptoms. While larger studies are needed to assess the clinical properties of the tool, the results of this feasibility study have demonstrated that the COP-SAT may be a practical tool for the identification of patients at risk of developing sleep disorders in the community.