< Back to previous page

Project

The effectiveness of a blended care program for the discontinuation of benzodiazepines use for sleeping problems in primary care: a clustered randomized trial (BIG BIRD)

There is a well-known problem of overuse of sleeping pills (benzodiazepines) in the Belgian population and a large proportion of people taking sleeping pills are doing so on an daily basis. The high consumption of sleeping pills is problematic as it is associated with potentially serious medical complications as well as a high social cost (costs related to the use of health care services, productivity losses, premature mortality and non-financial welfare costs like loss of quality of life). In Belgium, patients need a prescription from their treating physician, which is mostly their general practitioner (GP), in order to get benzodiazepines. Although GPs are aware of the problem of overconsumption, they often encounter difficulties in managing the decrease and stopping of benzodiazepines. This study aims to compare two strategies performed by GPs to help patients taking benzodiazepines on a daily basis for at least six months to discontinue their use. The first strategy consists of the usual or standard support provided by the GP, which often starts with a discontinuation advice or letter, the second is blended support where face-to-face consultations with the GP are alternated with web-based self-learning by the patient. Prior research suggested that such blended care might be superior to the usual care e.g. using a discontinuation advice or letter.

Date:1 Jan 2019 →  31 Dec 2023
Keywords:sleeping problems, primary care, benzodiazepines use
Disciplines:Primary health care