⚡ Quick Summary
A recent study developed a voice-activated virtual assistant to deliver Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Insomnia (CBT-I) to young adult cancer survivors, addressing the significant issue of chronic insomnia. The prototype showed a remarkable 94% engagement rate and was rated highly for acceptability, indicating a promising new approach to insomnia management.
🔍 Key Details
- 👥 Participants: 26 young adult cancer survivors (YACS) aged 18-39
- 🧠 Intervention: Voice-activated CBT-I delivered through a smart speaker
- 📊 Engagement: 94% of assigned times over 14 days
- ⭐ Satisfaction Score: Mean score of 5.43 on the Usability, Satisfaction, and Ease of Use scale
🔑 Key Takeaways
- 💤 Insomnia prevalence: Up to 75% of YACS experience chronic insomnia.
- 📱 Technology integration: Participants were open to using technology for CBT-I.
- 🗣️ Voice activation: The use of voice-activated assistants was well-received.
- 👍 High engagement: 94% engagement rate exceeded the feasibility cutoff of 70%.
- 🌟 Acceptability: All participants expressed interest in using the prototype again.
- 🔍 Future research: Further studies are needed to evaluate efficacy.
📚 Background
Chronic insomnia is a prevalent issue among young adult cancer survivors, significantly impacting their physical and emotional health. Traditional interventions like CBT-I are effective but often underutilized. This study aimed to explore innovative methods to enhance access and adherence to CBT-I through technology, particularly focusing on voice-activated systems that could seamlessly integrate into daily routines.
🗒️ Study
The study recruited participants from a major urban cancer center and regional oncology clinics. Through four focus groups, researchers gathered insights on the experiences of insomnia among YACS and their familiarity with technology, particularly voice-activated devices. This feedback informed the development of a prototype that delivered key CBT-I elements, along with features like circadian lighting and monitoring of device use.
📈 Results
The results were promising, with participants engaging with the prototype an impressive 94% of the time over the study period. The mean satisfaction score of 5.43 indicated that the prototype was not only usable but also enjoyable for participants. All individuals who completed the study expressed a desire to continue using the device and would recommend it to others facing similar insomnia challenges.
🌍 Impact and Implications
This study highlights the potential of integrating technology into mental health interventions, particularly for vulnerable populations like young adult cancer survivors. The positive reception of the voice-activated CBT-I prototype suggests that such innovations could significantly improve access to effective treatments for insomnia, ultimately enhancing the quality of life for many individuals.
🔮 Conclusion
The development of a voice-activated virtual assistant for delivering CBT-I represents a significant step forward in addressing insomnia among young adult cancer survivors. With high engagement and satisfaction rates, this approach could pave the way for future research and implementation of technology-driven mental health solutions. The future looks promising for integrating such innovations into healthcare practices!
💬 Your comments
What are your thoughts on using technology to address insomnia in cancer survivors? We would love to hear your insights! 💬 Leave your comments below or connect with us on social media:
Development of a Voice-Activated Virtual Assistant to Improve Insomnia Among Young Adult Cancer Survivors: Mixed Methods Feasibility and Acceptability Study.
Abstract
BACKGROUND: Up to 75% of young adult cancer survivors (YACS) experience chronic insomnia, negatively affecting physical and emotional health and overall quality of life. Cognitive behavioral therapy for insomnia (CBT-I) is a gold-standard intervention to address insomnia. To improve CBT-I access and treatment adherence, screen-based digital CBT-I platforms have been developed. However, even with these digital products, widespread uptake of CBT-I remains limited, and new strategies for CBT-I delivery are warranted.
OBJECTIVE: The objective of this study is to understand how YACS experience insomnia and how they might incorporate technology-delivered CBT-I into a daily routine and test the feasibility and acceptability of a novel screen-free voice-activated virtual assistant-delivered CBT-I prototype.
METHODS: Eligible participants-ages 18-39, living with a history of cancer (any type, any stage), self-reporting on average less sleep than National Sleep Foundation recommendations, and English-speaking-were recruited from a major urban cancer center, 2 regional oncology clinics, and 2 cancer survivorship support groups. We conducted 4 focus groups to understand the YACS experience of insomnia, their routine use of technology at home, particularly voice-activated virtual assistants such as Amazon Alexa, and input on how CBT-I might be delivered at home through a smart speaker system. We developed a prototype device to deliver key elements of CBT-I at home along with circadian lighting and monitoring of post-bedtime device use, collected YACS user perspectives on this prototype, and then conducted a single-arm feasibility and acceptability study.
RESULTS: In total, 26 YACS (6-7 participants per group) experiencing insomnia participated in focus groups to share experiences of insomnia during cancer survivorship and to provide input regarding a CBT-I prototype. Common triggers of insomnia included worry about disease management and progression, disease-related pain and other symptoms, choices regarding personal device use, and worry about the impact of poor sleep on daily functioning. In total, 12 participants completed device prototype testing, engaging with the prototype 94% of the assigned times (twice daily for 14 days; meeting predetermined feasibility cutoff of engagement ≥70% of assigned times) and rating the prototype with an overall mean score of 5.43 on the Satisfaction subscale of the Usability, Satisfaction, and Ease of Use scale (range 4.42-7; exceeding the predetermined cutoff score for acceptability of 5.0). All participants completing the study reported they would be interested in using the prototype again and would recommend it to someone else with insomnia.
CONCLUSIONS: YACS were highly engaged with our voice-activated virtual assistant-delivered CBT-I prototype and found it acceptable to use. Following final device development, future studies should evaluate the efficacy of this intervention among YACS.
TRIAL REGISTRATION: ClinicalTrials.gov NCT05875129; https://clinicaltrials.gov/study/NCT05875129.
Author: [‘Groninger H’, ‘Arem H’, ‘Ayangma L’, ‘Gong L’, ‘Zhou E’, ‘Greenberg D’]
Journal: JMIR Form Res
Citation: Groninger H, et al. Development of a Voice-Activated Virtual Assistant to Improve Insomnia Among Young Adult Cancer Survivors: Mixed Methods Feasibility and Acceptability Study. Development of a Voice-Activated Virtual Assistant to Improve Insomnia Among Young Adult Cancer Survivors: Mixed Methods Feasibility and Acceptability Study. 2025; 9:e64869. doi: 10.2196/64869