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Research ArticleOriginal Research

Validation of the Insomnia Severity Index in Primary Care

Christine Gagnon, Lynda Bélanger, Hans Ivers and Charles M. Morin
The Journal of the American Board of Family Medicine November 2013, 26 (6) 701-710; DOI: https://doi.org/10.3122/jabfm.2013.06.130064
Christine Gagnon
From the École de Psychologie, Université Laval, Centre d'étude des troubles du sommeil, Québec City, Québec, Canada.
DPsy
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Lynda Bélanger
From the École de Psychologie, Université Laval, Centre d'étude des troubles du sommeil, Québec City, Québec, Canada.
PhD
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Hans Ivers
From the École de Psychologie, Université Laval, Centre d'étude des troubles du sommeil, Québec City, Québec, Canada.
PhD
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Charles M. Morin
From the École de Psychologie, Université Laval, Centre d'étude des troubles du sommeil, Québec City, Québec, Canada.
PhD
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Article Figures & Data

Figures

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    Figure 1.

    Recruitment and final sample. ISI, Insomnia Severity Index.

  • Figure 2.
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    Figure 2.

    Receiver operator characteristics curve showing the probability of predicting a diagnosis of an insomnia disorder using various Insomnia Severity Index total scores.

Tables

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    Table 1. Descriptive Characteristics of Study Participants
    Participants Who Completed Only the Questionnaire (n = 309)Participants Who Completed the Questionnaire and the Clinical Interview (n = 101)Total Sample (N = 410)StatisticsP Value
    Mean age, years (SD)47.55 (15.5)49.01 (14.1)47.91 (15.2)t = 0.82.411
    Female sex184 (59.5)66 (65.3)250 (61.6)χ2 = 0.81.369
    Marital statusχ2 = 2.39.496
        Married193 (62.5)56 (55.4)249 (60.7)
        Single62 (20.1)21 (20.8)83 (20.2)
        Separated or divorced33 (10.7)16 (15.8)49 (12.0)
        Widowed14 (4.5)4 (4.0)18 (4.4)
    Occupationχ2 = 6.06.416
        Full-time work165 (53.4)52 (51.5)217 (52.9)
        Part-time work24 (7.8)8 (7.9)32 (7.8)
        Unemployed18 (5.8)5 (5.0)23 (5.6)
        Unpaid work3 (1.0)3 (3.0)6 (1.5)
        Retired63 (20.4)26 (25.7)89 (21.7)
        Student24 (7.8)3 (3.0)27 (6.6)
    Work scheduleχ2 = 1.57.815
        Day157 (50.8)50 (49.5)207 (50.5)
        Evening7 (2.3)1 (1.0)8 (2.0)
        Day and evening23 (7.4)6 (5.9)29 (7.1)
        Night9 (2.9)4 (4.0)13 (3.2)
        Rotating shift work15 (4.9)3 (3.0)18 (4.4)
    Education level completedχ2 = 4.96.175
        Elementary school or less11 (3.6)3 (3.0)14 (3.4)
        High school122 (39.5)28 (27.7)150 (36.6)
        Junior college75 (24.3)31 (30.7)106 (25.9)
        University87 (28.2)34 (33.7)121 (29.5)
    Insomnia Severity Index mean total score (SD)7.34 (6.05)11.15 (6.76)8.27 (6.44)t = 5.33.000
    Use prescribed medication for sleep14 (4.5)9 (8.9)23 (5.6)χ2 = 2.76.097
    Self-reported psychiatric disorder61 (19.7)22 (21.8)83 (20.2)χ2 = 1.96.658
    Self-reported medical disorder217 (70.2)78 (77.2)295 (72.0)χ2 = 1.85.174
    Mean yearly medical consultations (SD)3.74 (5.30)5.51 (9.83)4.17 (6.72)t = 2.25.025
    • Data are n (%) unless otherwise indicated.

    • SD, standard deviation.

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    Table 2. Characteristics of Participants With and Without Diagnosis of an Insomnia Disorder
    Diagnosis of Insomnia Disorder (n = 34)No Diagnosis of Insomnia Disorder (n = 67)StatisticsP Value
    Mean age, years (SD)47.69 (11.0)49.66 (15.5)t = −0.65.521
    Female sex25 (73.5)41 (61.2)χ2 = 1.52.218
    Uses prescribed medication for sleep5 (14.7)4 (6.0)χ2 = 2.12.145
    Psychiatric disorder*20 (58.8)10 (14.9)χ2 = 20.82.000
        Major depressive episode12 (35.3)3 (4.5)
        Generalized anxiety disorder8 (23.4)4 (6.0)
        Agoraphobia6 (17.7)1 (1.5)
        Social phobia5 (14.7)1 (1.5)
        Alcohol dependence3 (8.8)0 (0)
        Substance abuse2 (5.9)2 (3.0)
        Posttraumatic stress disorder2 (5.9)2 (3.0)
        Obsessive-compulsive disorder2 (5.9)0 (0)
        Panic disorder2 (5.9)2 (3.0)
        Dysthymic disorder1 (2.9)0 (0)
    Medical disorder16 (47.1)42 (62.7)χ2 = 1.83.176
        Condition interfering with sleep10 (29.4)10 (14.9)
    • Data are n (%) unless otherwise indicated.

    • ↵* The total percentage exceeds 100% because some participants have more than one diagnosis.

    • SD, standard deviation.

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    Table 3. Percentage of the Total Sample Who Endorsed Each Item Response (n = 410)
    Items of the ISIItem Response Choice*
    01234
    1. Difficulties falling asleep45.125.016.411.32.2
    2. Difficulties staying asleep35.624.622.716.30.7
    3. Early morning awakenings36.922.618.418.73.4
    4. Sleep dissatisfaction17.433.819.424.35.2
    5. Interference of sleep problems with daytime functioning34.624.924.612.92.9
    6. Noticeability of sleep difficulties by others45.823.821.67.61.2
    7. Preoccupation and distress caused by sleep difficulties47.725.219.37.20.7
    • ↵* For items 1 to 3, 0 = no problem, 1 = mild, 2 = moderate, 3 = severe, and 4 = very severe. For item 4, 0 = very satisfied, 1 = satisfied, 2 = neutral, 3 = dissatisfied, and 4 = very dissatisfied. For items 5 to 7, 0 = not at all, 1 = a little, 2 = somewhat, 3 = much, 4 = very much.

    • ISI, Insomnia Severity Index.

    • View popup
    Table 4. Sensitivity and Specificity of the Insomnia Severity Index (n = 101)
    ScoreSensitivitySpecificityFPR (n = 67)FNR (n = 34)Correctly Classified (n = 101)PPVNPV
    110010.489.6 (60)0.0 (0)40.6 (41)36.2 (34/94)100 (7/7)
    210016.483.6 (56)0.0 (0)44.6 (45)37.8 (34/90)100 (11/11)
    310019.480.6 (54)0.0 (0)46.5 (47)38.6 (34/88)100 (13/13)
    410022.477.6 (52)0.0 (0)48.5 (49)39.5 (34/86)100 (15/15)
    510029.970.2 (47)0.0 (0)53.5 (54)42.0 (34/81)100 (20/20)
    610035.864.2 (43)0.0 (0)57.4 (58)44.2 (34/77)100 (24/24)
    710041.858.2 (39)0.0 (0)61.4 (62)46.6 (34/73)100 (28/28)
    810052.247.8 (32)0.0 (0)68.3 (69)51.5 (34/66)100 (35/35)
    997.161.238.8 (26)2.9 (1)73.3 (74)55.9 (33/59)97.6 (41/42)
    1097.164.235.8 (24)2.9 (1)75.3 (76)57.9 (33/57)97.7 (43/44)
    1194.168.731.3 (21)5.9 (2)77.2 (78)60.4 (32/53)95.8 (46/48)
    1291.273.126.9% (18)8.8 (3)79.2 (80)63.3 (31/49)94.2 (49/52)
    1385.376.123.9 (16)14.7 (5)79.2 (80)64.4 (29/45)91.1 (51/56)
    1482.4 (28/34)82.1 (55)17.9 (12)17.6 (6)82.2 (83)70.0 (28/40)90.2 (55/61)
    1576.582.117.9 (12)23.5 (8)80.2 (81)68.4 (26/38)87.3 (55/63)
    1664.783.616.4 (11)35.3 (12)77.2 (78)66.7 (22/33)82.4 (56/68)
    1752.986.613.4 (9)47.1 (16)75.3 (76)66.7 (18/27)78.4 (58/74)
    1841.291.09.0 (6)58.8 (20)74.3 (75)70.0 (14/20)75.3 (61/81)
    1935.392.57.5 (5)64.7 (22)73.3 (74)70.6 (12/17)73.8 (62/84)
    2026.594.06.0 (4)73.5 (25)71.3 (72)69.2 (9/13)71.6 (63/68)
    2117.697.03.0 (2)82.4 (28)70.3 (71)75.0 (6/8)69.9 (65/93)
    235.91000.0 (0)94.1 (32)68.3 (69)100 (2/2)67.7 (67/99)
    260.01000.0 (0)100 (34)66.3 (67)—66.3 (67)
    • Data are %, % (n), or % (n/N).

    • FNR, false negative rate; FPR, false positive rate; NPV, negative predictive value; PPV, positive predictive value.

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The Journal of the American Board of Family     Medicine: 26 (6)
The Journal of the American Board of Family Medicine
Vol. 26, Issue 6
November-December 2013
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Validation of the Insomnia Severity Index in Primary Care
Christine Gagnon, Lynda Bélanger, Hans Ivers, Charles M. Morin
The Journal of the American Board of Family Medicine Nov 2013, 26 (6) 701-710; DOI: 10.3122/jabfm.2013.06.130064

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Validation of the Insomnia Severity Index in Primary Care
Christine Gagnon, Lynda Bélanger, Hans Ivers, Charles M. Morin
The Journal of the American Board of Family Medicine Nov 2013, 26 (6) 701-710; DOI: 10.3122/jabfm.2013.06.130064
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