ArticleBMC primary care2026
Pathways to chronic benzodiazepine use: a qualitative study of user and professional perspectives.
Article in BMC primary care, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.
What it found
Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.
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
0 citing papers in PubMed.
No citing paper in PubMed yet.
Corrections and comments
PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.
Authors and funding
10 authors.
Funding
Abstract
backgroundBenzodiazepines (BZD) have become a public health issue due to their high use and problems arising from their misuse. Both health professionals and users are becoming aware of the situation but recognise few alternatives to their prescription and acknowledge the difficulties involved in discontinuing them. It is important to understand the factors that influence their chronic use after a first BZD prescription to be able to design future strategies for those factors which can be modified once identified. The aim of this study is to explore the factors underlying chronic BZD use following an initial prescription from the perspectives of users and Primary Care (PC) and Mental Health (MH) professionals.
methodsAn exploratory-explanatory qualitative study based on Grounded Theory carried out in two autonomous communities between 2023 and 2024. Sampling was theoretical, purposive and convenience, seeking maximum variability among users and PC and MH professionals. Interviews following a semi-structured thematic script were audio-recorded, transcribed and analysed in duplicate. Information was collected until saturation was reached. Users (5 in a focus group; 23 individual; 64% women) and professionals (40 in five focus groups; 88% women) were interviewed. Interpretive analysis was performed through an iterative inductive process until a definitive explanatory framework was obtained.
resultsThe factors that influence chronic BZD use are related to users and the health system. Within the system, factors associated with the professionals, such as clinical management strategies, their perceptions and attitudes towards BZD, and the user-professional interaction clearly emerge. The organisation of the system, including the duration of consultation, continuous training and coordination between health professionals also play a role. Regarding users, biopsychosocial factors, medical history and perceptions and attitudes concerning the health issue and BZD are notable.
conclusionsChronic BZD use is influenced by factors related to the user and the health system, some of which can be modified. Taking these factors into account could improve appropriate BZD use, patient safety and the sustainability of the system while simultaneously promoting self-care.
Indexed as
Identifiers
What OpenQuestion holds
Registered trials
Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.