Trial reportJMIR research protocols2026
Brief Intervention for Discontinuing Inappropriate Z-Hypnotic Use Among Older Patients in Primary Care: Protocol for a Cluster Randomized Controlled Trial With a Single Crossover.
Trial report in JMIR research protocols, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 2 papers.
What it found
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The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.
The trial behind it
Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.
Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.
Who cites it
2 citing papers in PubMed.
- Brief intervention for inappropriate z-hypnotics use in older adults: a before and after intervention study in primary care.Scandinavian journal of primary health care · 2026Trial
- A brief intervention to discontinue inappropriate z-hypnotics use by older patients in primary care: a randomised controlled trial.BMC primary care · 2026Trial
Corrections and comments
PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.
Authors and funding
5 authors.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
backgroundOlder patients are frequent users of Z-hypnotics despite consensus recommendations against extended use. Inappropriate Z-hypnotic use among older patients is frequently reported, posing risks of side effects and dependence. Interventions have been mainly at the population level and through prescription regulations. There are few instruments helping general practitioners (GPs) deal with inappropriate use among individual patients.
objectiveThrough a randomized controlled trial (RCT), we aim to test the effectiveness of a behavioral brief intervention (BI) method used by trained GPs for reducing inappropriate Z-hypnotic use among their patients.
methodsWe will conduct a double-blind RCT with a single crossover. Patients (aged >60 years) on participating GPs' lists who are using Z-hypnotics inappropriately, do not have serious mental or physical disorders, and can provide valid informed consent are eligible. GPs randomized to the BI arm will be trained to administer the BI, and those randomized to business as usual (BAU) will not receive training. GPs' patient lists will be screened for inappropriate Z-hypnotic users through an electronic questionnaire. The GP will be informed of patients who should be given an appointment and administered the BI. Untrained GPs will continue BAU. Randomization-blinded outcome evaluation will be conducted at 6 weeks, 6 months, and 1 year in both the study groups.
resultsThe main outcome is the proportion of patients with inappropriate Z-hypnotic use, comparing BI versus BAU, after 6 weeks. Secondary outcomes are cognitive function, pain, self-reported sleep evaluation, sleep efficiency (actigraphy) and quality of life, and change compared to baseline. We will also report on the characteristics of the screened GP patient population. Other variables are other medication use or polypharmacy, anxiety and depression, severity of dependence, and mortality.
conclusionsIf RCT-level evidence demonstrates the effectiveness of the BI for reducing inappropriate Z-hypnotic use among older patients without worsening of secondary outcomes, this could be a simple, transferable intervention to implement on a larger scale among GPs, other physicians, and health workers. INTERNATIONAL REGISTERED REPORT IDENTIFIER (IRRID): DERR1-10.2196/75670.
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