title: Utilization of hypnotic medication in the context of cancer: predictors and frequency of use.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The present study aims to document the frequency of use of hypnotic medication among a large sample of randomly selected patients having been treated for various types of cancer, as well as to identify the sociodemographic, psychosocial, and medical factors that characterize the users of this type of medication.
  
  
  METHODS
  Five thousand patients who had received treatment for breast, prostate, lung, or colorectal cancer at the L'Hôtel-Dieu de Québec were solicited by mail to take part in this study. Among these patients, 1,984 (39.7%) agreed to complete a battery of questionnaires.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Overall, 22.6% of the patients were currently consuming hypnotic medication. Factors associated with a greater utilization of hypnotic medication were older age, greater difficulties initiating sleep, more stressful life events experienced in the past 6 months, higher levels of anxiety, past or current psychological difficulties, poorer role functioning, less severe urinary symptoms, greater use of opioids, and past or current chemotherapy treatments.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  These results are consistent with those of previous studies conducted in cancer patients in showing high rates of hypnotic medication use. Moreover, this study identified several factors that might help identify persons at risk of using this type of medication and, therefore, to experience the potential negative effects of chronic hypnotics use.
authors.affiliation: Laval University Cancer Research Center, 11 Côte du Palais, Québec, QC, G1R 2J6, Canada.
authors.forename: Lucie
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Casault
authors.forename: Josée
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Savard
authors.forename: Hans
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Ivers
authors.forename: Marie-Hélène
authors.initials: MH
authors.lastname: Savard
authors.forename: Sébastien
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Simard
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000701:Analgesics, Opioid / Q000627:therapeutic use; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006993:Hypnotics and Sedatives / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology / Q000523:psychology*; D011792:Quebec; D012307:Risk Factors; D007319:Sleep Initiation and Maintenance Disorders / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000209:etiology; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires
chemical_list: D000701:Analgesics, Opioid; D006993:Hypnotics and Sedatives