Benzodiazepine usage and patient preference for alternative therapies: A descriptive study

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: The prevalence of chronic benzodiazepine use in primary care settings remains high despite clear evidence of adverse health outcomes resulting from long‐term use and the availability of effective alternative behavioural therapies. Eliciting factors influencing past or current usage experience of benzodiazepine users and their future behavioural intention regarding discontinuation or alternative behavioural therapy adoption could be useful in developing informed strategies facilitating successful benzodiazepine withdrawal in long‐term users. The aim of this study was to identify patient factors influencing their current long‐term benzodiazepine use, past withdrawal attempt, and future intention to trial safer alternative behavioural therapies. Additionally, the study also aimed to explore patients' preference for information sources on behavioural therapies. METHODS: Point of purchase surveys were conducted with patients obtaining benzodiazepines from selected pharmacies across New South Wales (NSW), Australia. Survey items included the Beliefs about Medicines Questionnaire (BMQ‐specific), questions about patient's sociodemographic characteristics, as well as their views about long‐term benzodiazepine use and behavioural therapies. RESULTS: Seventy‐five patients were recruited from 12 pharmacies across New South Wales (NSW). The surveys were conducted from November 2016 to July 2017. The mean (±SD) age of the participants was 54.3 (±16.7) with a range of 23 to 86 years, and 67% of the participants had been using the benzodiazepine for at least 1 year. Lower‐education levels, stronger beliefs about the necessity of use, and lower concerns about ongoing benzodiazepine use were significantly associated with prolonged use. Sixty‐four percent of the participants were not interested in behavioural therapies, and there was a significant relationship between the participants' future preference for behavioural therapies and their concerns about the potential adverse effects of benzodiazepines. A majority of the participants rated general practitioners (GPs) as their first choice and pharmacists as the second choice for discussing behavioural therapies. CONCLUSIONS: Specific individual sociodemographic characteristics of benzodiazepine users and their medication‐related beliefs influence their current benzodiazepine usage and future intention to trial behavioural therapies as an alternative to their benzodiazepines. Based on the reported preferences of benzodiazepine users in this study, developing and evaluating GP‐pharmacist collaborative services to improve the uptake of behavioural therapies as an alternative to benzodiazepines can be recommended.