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» Go to news mainMedia opportunity: Sleepless in Atlantic Canada: Dalhousie University research uncovers the high rate of sedative use in the region, shares ways to reduce reliance on sleeping pills
A Dalhousie University researcher is hosting three public meetings to share new data that shows the overuse of sedatives remains a concern in Atlantic Canada, while the rates are much lower and dropping in the rest of the country.
Dr. David Gardner, a professor in Dalhousie's Department of Psychiatry and College of Pharmacy, will outline the results of a clinical trial, called YAWNS NB, in Halifax (Nov. 13), Fredericton (Nov. 20), and St. John's, N.L. (Nov. 27).
The program, which stands for Your Answers When Needing Sleep in New Brunswick, tested the efficacy of receiving a written information package by mail on sleep and sleeping pill use, and ways to reduce the reliance on them.
The meetings will also present new epidemiological data on sedative use in New Brunswick and the link between sleeping pill usage and hospital admissions due to falls and hip fractures, something relevant to older adults throughout Atlantic Canada.
Dr. Gardner is available to discuss the events, which will also include health-care professionals, researchers and policymakers discussing how the benefits of sedative use are short-lived and come with risks, such as memory problems, accidents and medication dependence.
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Media contact:
Alison Auld
Senior Research Reporter
Dalhousie University
Cell: 1-902-220-0491
Email: alison.auld@dal.ca
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