Prevalence and predictors of sleep problems in women following a cancer diagnosis: results from the women’s wellness after cancer program

Purpose Using a discrete dataset from the Women’s Wellness after Cancer Program (WWACP), we examine the prevalence and predictors of self-reported sleep problems in women previously treated for cancer. Methods Participants were 351 women ( M age = 53.2, SD = 8.8) from the WWACP who had completed surgery, chemotherapy and/or radiotherapy for breast, gynaecological or blood cancers within the previous 24 months. Sleep problems were measured using the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI). Baseline data (i.e. prior to intervention randomisation) were analysed. Results Most women (59%) reported clinically significant sleep disturbance (PSQI > 5), 40% reported insufficient sleep duration (