Swedish Internet forum users' views and experiences of melatonin treatments for troubled sleep
Abstract
OBJECTIVE: To investigate Internet forum users' views and experiences of melatonin treatments for troubled sleep.
DESIGN: A thematic analysis of online disclosures about melatonin treatments was conducted.
SETTING: The largest Swedish Internet forum (Flashback.org). Key search terms were melatonin and circadin/cirkadin.
RESULTS: The search generated 2669 posts from 857 unique profiles in 174 different threads, posted between September 2004 and January 2021. The thematic analysis resulted in 4 themes: (1) being one's own pharmacist, (2) wanted and unwanted effects, (3) history of unmet needs, and (4) national guidelines and clinical practice in Sweden.
CONCLUSIONS: The current study suggests that experiences with melatonin treatments are diverse, and the views on exogenous melatonin polarized, albeit with a general consensus on the importance of individual factors when it comes to administration and efficacy. The study also suggests that there is an extensive off-label use of melatonin (eg, younger patients and longer treatment periods than indicated). More studies on melatonin treatments are warranted to bridge the gap between scientific knowledge and clinical practice.
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