BACKGROUND:~Sleep disturbances are often referred to as a hallmark of PTSD. In a sample of 734 trauma-affected refugees undergoing psychiatric treatment at Competence Centre for Transcultural Psychiatry (CTP) in the period 2008-2012 99% reported sleep disturbances and nightmares.~In trauma-affected populations untreated sleep disturbances can uphold and exacerbate both sleep-related and non-sleep-related PTSD symptoms. Sleep disturbances may also affect the efficacy of first-line PTSD treatment and constitute a risk factor for poor outcome of psychiatric treatment. It has been argued that effective treatment of sleep disturbances may accelerate recovery in PTSD. There is a lack of randomised clinical trials on this relation in trauma-affected refugees.~The aim of this study is to examine sleep enhancing treatment in refugees with PTSD.~MATERIALS AND METHOD:~The study will include 230 refugees, diagnosed with PTSD, referred to CTP. Patients who give informed consent will be randomised to four treatment groups.~Treatment as usual (TAU); pharmacological treatment according to algorithm and manual based Cognitive Behavioural Therapy~TAU and add-on treatment with mianserin~TAU and add-on treatment with Imagery Rehearsal Therapy (IRT)~TAU and add-on treatment with mianserin and IRT~RESULTS:~This study is expected to bring forward new knowledge on both medical and therapeutic treatment of sleep disturbances in trauma-affected refugees.
The overall aim of this study is to examine the effects of sleep enhancing treatment in refugees with PTSD.