People recognize sleeping pills, not CBT-I
In a nationally representative survey of 3,080 U.S. adults, participants were substantially more familiar with pharmacological treatments than with behavioral therapies, and recognition of CBT-I was notably low [1]. Reported use followed the same pattern: people relied more on prescription medications and over-the-counter sleep aids than on CBT-I [1]. A separate survey of 114 adults in Poland's Łódź region found that 54.4% identified CBT-I as the most effective treatment for insomnia, but only 16.7% knew how effective it was, and only 28.1% knew its approximate duration [2].
This matters for uptake because a treatment people cannot name is hard for them to seek. The U.S. survey also found that women and White participants reported greater awareness of insomnia treatments than men and people from other racial groups, and age differences appeared but varied by treatment type [1]. Those disparities suggest that demand for CBT-I—whether digital or in-person—may be uneven across the population before any question of format even arises.
Few know that CBT-I can be delivered through an app
Digital CBT-I, often shortened to dCBT-I, applies the same behavioral principles through a website or smartphone application. In the Polish survey, only 28.1% of respondents were aware that CBT-I-based applications existed [2]. That is a narrower gap than general CBT-I knowledge, but it still means most people surveyed could not have considered a digital option because they did not know it was available.
The Polish study also found that only 14% correctly answered a question about how sleep restriction—a core CBT-I technique—works [2]. Limited understanding of the therapy's mechanics may make people less confident in any form of CBT-I, and it may make a self-guided digital version seem especially uncertain compared with a pill or a visit to a clinician.
What the evidence can and cannot say about choosing digital versus in-person
Neither study measured whether a person's knowledge of CBT-I or dCBT-I influenced their choice between digital and in-person care. The U.S. survey tracked familiarity and use of treatments but did not ask about delivery format [1]. The Polish survey assessed knowledge of CBT-I and awareness of dCBT-I applications but did not examine factors affecting the choice between digital and in-person care [2].
What the studies do establish is a precondition for that choice: many people do not know enough about CBT-I to prefer it over medication, and most do not know a digital version exists [1][2]. Both papers call for awareness-raising about CBT-I and dCBT-I [1][2]. Whether closing that gap would actually shift people toward digital or in-person care remains an open question rather than a demonstrated effect.
Sources used in this answer
Estimating Public Knowledge About Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Insomnia (CBT-I) and Alternative Treatments
In a nationally representative U.S. survey of 3,080 adults, familiarity with pharmacological insomnia treatments was substantially higher than with behavioral therapies, recognition of CBT-I was notably low, and use of medications exceeded use of CBT-I, with awareness varying by gender, race, and age.
Knowledge about Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Insomnia (CBTI) as the most effective treatment for insomnia
In a survey of 114 adults in the Łódź region of Poland, 54.4% identified CBT-I as the most effective insomnia treatment but only 16.7% knew how effective it was, 28.1% knew its approximate duration, 28.1% were aware of CBT-I-based applications, and 14% correctly answered a question about sleep restriction.