# Psychosocial Correlates of Insomnia Symptoms Among Women and Men Receiving Buprenorphine Treatment for Opioid Use Disorder

## TL;DR

The study finds that insomnia is common among people treated for opioid use disorder, with women and men facing different psychosocial stressors linked to sleep issues.

## Contribution

The study identifies gender-specific psychosocial factors associated with insomnia in individuals receiving buprenorphine for opioid use disorder.

## Key findings

- Women with insomnia reported higher rates of social stressors like discrimination, food insecurity, and transportation difficulties.
- Men with insomnia were more likely to report financial barriers to healthcare access.
- Over half of participants met criteria for clinically significant insomnia.

## Abstract

Insomnia is common in individuals with opioid use disorder (OUD). Biopsychosocial factors are important in sleep health, yet this intersection has yet to be fully elucidated in people on buprenorphine for OUD. The objective is to report on patient-reported biopsychosocial factors among people with and without insomnia, specifically among women and men in outpatient OUD treatment. The parent study enrolled adults stabilized on buprenorphine from February 2022–September 2023. Scores of ≥11 on the Insomnia Severity Index (ISI) indicated clinically significant insomnia. Differences were detected by the presence of insomnia, stratified by men and women, using chi-squared and Fisher’s exact tests. Of the overall participants (N = 130), most (n = 77; 59.2%) met the criteria for clinically significant insomnia. Women with insomnia were more likely to report social stressors including discrimination for substance use (p = 0.040), food insecurity (p = 0.032), and transportation difficulties accessing healthcare (p = 0.043) than women without insomnia. Men with insomnia were more likely to report financial difficulties accessing healthcare (p = 0.023) than men without insomnia. These findings provide a unique perspective to consider in the development and implementation of sleep interventions for women and men receiving medication treatment for OUD.