Sleep Outcomes and Mood in Adolescence and Young Adults with Cystic Fibrosis

Some research suggests that young people with cystic fibrosis (CF) may have more trouble with sleep than people of the same age without chronic illness. Poor quality sleep can affect a person’s ability to concentrate at school/work and feel well emotionally.

This study will measure the sleep and mental health of adolescents and young adults (aged 14-25yrs.) with CF and compare this to adolescents and young adults without chronic illness. This study will:

  • Investigate whether those with CF have more sleep difficulties and more mental health concerns than their peers without chronic illness
  • Determine if there is a relationship between poor sleep and worse mental health in those with CF
  • Try to understand the sleep experience from the perspective of those with CF

Those who choose to participate will be asked to complete questionnaires to measure sleep, symptoms of anxiety and depression and pain. They will also keep a sleep diary and use an actigraph to record their sleep for 7-days and 7-nights. An actigraph is similar to a watch and is worn on the wrist and determines how long a person is sleeping and how long they are awake based on how much they move. Some individuals with CF who agree to being contacted after they have completed the questionnaires and actigraphy recording will be asked to participate in a virtual interview with a researcher on Zoom Healthcare to discuss their sleep experiences. Clinical details will also be collected from the Canadian CF Registry on consenting CF participants.

This study is unique because it will be the first study to ever provide information on the relationship between poor sleep, measured by both self-report and actigraphy, and both anxiety and depression symptoms in adolescents and young adults with CF. It will also be the first study to ever integrate the sleep experiences and voices of young people with CF. This is important because more completely understanding the relationship between mental health and sleep could have a significant impact on well-being and quality of life.

Interested? To ask questions contact:

Jordana McMurray RN, PhD candidate

Email: somayacf@utoronto.ca

Call/text: 437-349-9472