We are thankful to be welcome on these lands in friendship. The lands we are situated on are covered by the Williams Treaties and are the traditional territory of the Mississaugas, a branch of the greater Anishinaabeg Nation, including Algonquin, Ojibway, Odawa and Pottawatomi. These lands remain home to many Indigenous nations and peoples.

We acknowledge this land out of respect for the Indigenous nations who have cared for Turtle Island, also called North America, from before the arrival of settler peoples until this day. Most importantly, we acknowledge that the history of these lands has been tainted by poor treatment and a lack of friendship with the First Nations who call them home.

This history is something we are all affected by because we are all treaty people in Canada. We all have a shared history to reflect on, and each of us is affected by this history in different ways. Our past defines our present, but if we move forward as friends and allies, then it does not have to define our future.

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Effectiveness of digitally delivered sleep interventions on sleep and mental health outcomes in post-secondary students: A systematic review

Background: Sleep problems, including disrupted sleep, are increasingly recognized as a risk factor for poor health outcomes including mental health problems. Students pursuing post-secondary education are a population group at risk for both significant sleep problems and poor mental health outcomes such as depression and anxiety. Interventions such as sleep hygiene education and cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) are common treatment options for sleep problems and have been effective in improving sleep and mental health in post-secondary students. Given the global COVID-19 pandemic, students may face additional challenges with their sleep and mental health. However, as a result of public health measures put in place, in-person mental health services normally provided by post-secondary institutions are unavailable. In an effort to address this gap, some institutions have moved to providing care through a virtual platform, or tele-health services. However, the effectiveness of delivering sleep interventions virtually to the post-secondary population is unknown. Furthermore, we lack knowledge about students’ and providers’ experiences, perspectives, attitudes and beliefs surrounding the digital delivery of common sleep interventions.

Aim: We aimed to perform a systematic review of the quantitative and qualitative evidence on the effectiveness of digital sleep interventions for post-secondary students.

Objectives:

Synthesize quantitative evidence on the effectiveness of digital sleep interventions on sleep and mental health outcomes in post-secondary students.
Synthesize qualitative evidence on the experiences, perspectives, attitudes, and beliefs of students and/or providers surrounding the use of digital sleep interventions.
Integrate findings from quantitative and qualitative literature to gain insight into not only “what works” for this population, but also “how” and “why” it works.

Implications: Findings from this knowledge synthesis will provide knowledge users with the best available evidence to inform decision making when developing or choosing digital methods to adapt the delivery of sleep-related mental health services.

Funding: This study is funded by the Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR) Rapid Research in Mental Health and Substance Use.

For more information please visit: https://cihr-irsc.gc.ca/e/52071.html

Team Members:

Efrosini Papaconstantinou (Project Lead)
Carol Cancelliere (IDRR Scientist)
Krystle Martin (Collaborator)
Ginny Brunton (Collaborator)
Karima Velgi (Collaborator)
Pierre Côté (Collaborator)
Danielle Southerst (Research Associate)
Leslie Verville (Research Associate)
Anne Taylor-Vaisey (Research Associate)
Poonam Cardoso (Research Administration Officer)