Weighted blanket and sleep medication use among adults with psychiatric diagnosis – a population-based register study

Abstract

Objective To measure rate of subscription of common sleep medication and diagnoses of substance use disorder (SUD) before and after receiving a prescribed weighted blanket (WB) among patients with psychiatric diagnoses. Materials and methods Using register-based data of health-related factors in a Swedish region, a total of 1785 adult individuals with a psychiatric diagnosis, received a WB and resided in the region during the study period were identified. Using each individual as their own control, the rate of one-year prior prescription of WB or diagnosed SUD was compared to rate after a half year wash-out after prescription of WB for a full year. Results The number of patients without prescription of sleep medication increased by 3.3% (95% confidence interval (95%CI): 0.2–6.4, p=.04). Furthermore, the proportion without a prescription of benzodiazepine receptor agonist/antihistamines sleep medication increased by 5.5% (95%CI: 2.2–8.8, p=.001). Melatonin prescription increased after WB by 3.6% (95%CI: 1.1–6.2, p=.006). Younger age and unipolar-, anxiety-, attention-deficit/hyperactivity-, and post-traumatic stress disorder was associated with decreased use while psychotic-/bipolar- and personality disorder was not associated with a decrease in the use of sleep medication. The number of alcohol SUD diagnoses did not increase while sedative SUD rate increased statistically significantly by 0.7% (odds ratio = 1.63, p=.02). In a multivariate model, only younger age predicted discontinuation of sleep medication while psychotic-/bipolar- and personality disorder had statistically less decrease. Conclusion This observational register study found a statistically significant association between WB use and decreased use of common sleep medication except melatonin that increased slightly.