ArticleBJGP open2024
Professionals' treatment goals for long-term benzodiazepine and Z-drugs management: a qualitative study.
Article in BJGP open, 2024. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 3 papers.
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Who cites it
3 citing papers in PubMed.
- Pathways to chronic benzodiazepine use: a qualitative study of user and professional perspectives.BMC primary care · 2026Article
- Primary, secondary and tertiary prevention of long-term benzodiazepine receptor agonists use in Belgium: a policy Delphi.Archives of public health = Archives belges de sante publique · 2025Article
- 'I haven't discussed anything with anyone': lived experience of long-term users of benzodiazepine receptor agonists regarding their treatment for substance use disorder.International journal of qualitative studies on health and well-being · 2024Article
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Authors and funding
4 authors.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
backgroundBenzodiazepines and Z-drugs (BZD/Z) are frequently prescribed for longer than recommended. Through their interactions with patients taking BZD/Z, primary care and mental health professionals play a key role in the management of this medication.
aimTo explore how primary care and mental health care professionals set treatment goals with users of long-term BZD/Z. DESIGN &
settingA qualitative study using semi-structured interviews with professionals from mental health, addiction care, and primary care practices in Belgium.
methodSemi-structured interviews were conducted, online and in person, with 24 professionals working in mental health and primary care. Inductive thematic content analysis was performed.
resultsSeven themes were identified from the analysis. Professionals tended not to use the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fifth Edition (DSM-V) standard to diagnose a BZD/Z substance use disorder. They described criteria based on their experience. They identified diverse types of patients that influence their choice of treatment goals. Professionals appeared to position themselves according to their own treatment goals for their patients, either by promoting the goal of abstinence or harm reduction. Some of them reported feeling trapped into continuing to prescribe and considered BZD/Z withdrawal to be difficult. Some were afraid to engage in a conversation that might break the bond of trust with the patient. Few professionals mentioned patient participation in the treatment goal setting. They asked for targeted withdrawal recommendations, perceiving the current recommendations to be too broad.
conclusionWhether primary care or mental health care professionals are more in favour of a total abstinence or a harm reduction approach to BZD/Z, professionals should be guided towards greater patient participation in setting and evaluating goals with patients taking BZD/Z.
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