Reducing long-term use of benzodiazepine receptor agonists : In-depth interview study with primary care stakeholders

© 2023 The Authors. Health Expectations published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd..

AIMS: To increase our understanding of which factors contribute to long-term benzodiazepine receptor agonist (BZRA) use for insomnia in primary care, from a patients', general practitioners' (GP) and pharmacists' perspective.

DESIGN: Qualitative research following a grounded theory approach.

SETTING: Primary care in Belgium.

PARTICIPANTS: Twenty-four participants were interviewed, including nine patients, six GPs and nine pharmacists.

MEASUREMENTS: In-depth, semistructured interviews with iterative cycles of data collection and analysis. Transcripts were analysed using the framework method. Thematic findings were interpreted in the context of the Theoretical Domains Framework.

FINDINGS: A reflexive relation was identified between views about hypnotic use at the level of society, healthcare and patients. Behaviour change appeared to depend strongly on context and social influence, including a need for supporting relationships by all stakeholders. Six key messages captured factors that contribute to long-term BZRA use for insomnia in primary care: societal beliefs as a game changer, the opportunity of nonpharmacological treatment, collaborative primary care, patient-centred goals, informed consent and self-management.

CONCLUSIONS: Long-term BZRA use for insomnia is a complex and multifaceted public health problem that is not adequately addressed in primary care at this time. Although primary care professionals in this study found discontinuation of long-term BZRA use relevant to the patient's health, many organisational and personal barriers were reported. Moreover, the current social and healthcare context is not empowering patients and professionals to reduce long-term BZRA use for insomnia. Specifically, for primary care, all stakeholders reported the need for a nonmedicalised relationship between the patient and GP to lower prescribing rates.

PATIENT OR PUBLIC CONTRIBUTION: The Flemish Patient Platform, a patient representative organisation, assisted with recruitment by launching a call for participants in their newsletter and volunteered to disseminate the results. The call for recruitment was also published online in social media groups regarding insomnia and via posters in public pharmacies. Patients or public were not involved in designing or conducting the interview study.

Medienart:

E-Artikel

Erscheinungsjahr:

2023

Erschienen:

2023

Enthalten in:

Zur Gesamtaufnahme - year:2023

Enthalten in:

Health expectations : an international journal of public participation in health care and health policy - (2023) vom: 17. Okt.

Sprache:

Englisch

Beteiligte Personen:

Coteur, Kristien [VerfasserIn]
Peters, Sanne [VerfasserIn]
Jansen, Pieter [VerfasserIn]
Schoenmakers, Birgitte [VerfasserIn]
Van Nuland, Marc [VerfasserIn]

Links:

Volltext

Themen:

Benzodiazepines
Deprescriptions
General practitioners
Grounded theory
Journal Article
Medication therapy management
Pharmacists
Primary health care

Anmerkungen:

Date Revised 20.12.2023

published: Print-Electronic

Citation Status Publisher

doi:

10.1111/hex.13888

funding:

Förderinstitution / Projekttitel:

PPN (Katalog-ID):

NLM363419268