The Chinese University of Hong Kong's Faculty of Medicine, in collaboration with Peking University Sixth Hospital, conducted the first clinical study on a digital cognitive behavioural therapy for insomnia (CBT-I) intervention app. The study involved 708 participants aged 15-25 from mainland China and Hong Kong with insomnia disorder and subclinical depressive symptoms. The digital CBT-I app significantly improved sleep quality and reduced depressive symptoms, with a 42% lower incidence of depression in the intervention group compared to the control group. The app's automated format contributed to high engagement rates, and no adverse events were reported. The study suggests that digital therapeutics could serve as a scalable and accessible solution for addressing youth mental health challenges, particularly in regions with limited mental health resources.
https://opengovasia.com/2025/02/21/hong-kong-digital-therapy-for-insomnia-in-youth/A study conducted by the Chinese University of Hong Kong's faculty of medicine and Peking University Sixth Hospital found that an app-based digital cognitive behavioural therapy for insomnia reduced depression rates among young people in Hong Kong and mainland China by over 40%. The research, led by Professor Wing Yun-kwok, is the first clinical study in Asia to investigate this treatment.
https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/health-environment/article/3299478/app-based-insomnia-therapy-found-cut-depression-rate-among-hong-kong-youth?module=top_story&pgtype=section