CONTROLLED EVALUATION OF BRIEF INTERVENTION BY GENERAL-PRACTITIONERS TO REDUCE CHRONIC USE OF BENZODIAZEPINES

Background. It is recommended that long-term users of benzodiazepines in general practice be withdrawn from their medication where possible. Aim. A study was undertaken to assess the effectiveness of minimal in tervention delivered by general practitioners in helping chronic users of benzodiazepines to withdraw from their medication, and to determin e the psychological sequelae on patients of such intervention. Method. Patients taking benzodiazepines regularly for at least one year were recruited by their general practitioner and allocated either to a grou p receiving brief advice during one consultation supplemented by a sel f-help booklet or to a control group who received routine care. The pa tient completed the 12-items general health questionnaire and a benzod iazepine withdrawal symptom questionnaire at the outset of the study a nd at three and six months after this. Results. Eighteen per cent of p atients in the intervention group (9/50) had a reduction in benzodiaze pine prescribing recorded in the notes compared with 5% of the 55 pati ents in the control group (P <0.05). In the intervention group, 63% of patients had a score of two or more on the general health questionnai re at baseline compared with 52% at six months. Of the 20 intervention patients reporting benzodiazepine reduction, 60% had a score of two o r more at baseline compared with 40% at six months. Intervention patie nts had significantly more qualit-ative, but not quantitative, withdra wal symptoms at six months compared with baseline. Consultation rates were not increased in the intervention group. Conclusion. The study in dicates that some chronic users can successfully reduce their intake o f benzodiazepines with simple advice from the general practitioner and a self-help booklet. This type of intervention does not lead to psych ological distress or increased consultation.