A Comparison between Perceptions of Psychiatric Outpatients and Psychiatrists Regarding Benzodiazepine Use and Decision Making for Its Discontinuation: A Cross-Sectional Survey in Japan

Yumi Aoki, Masahiro Takeshima, Takashi Tsuboi, Eiichi Katsumoto, Ken Udagawa, Ken Inada, Koichiro Watanabe, Kazuo Mishima and Yoshikazu Takaesu ()
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Yumi Aoki: Psychiatric and Mental Health Nursing, St. Luke’s International University, Tokyo 104-0044, Japan
Masahiro Takeshima: Department of Neuropsychiatry, Akita University Graduate School of Medicine, Akita 010-8543, Japan
Takashi Tsuboi: Department of Neuropsychiatry, Kyorin University School of Medicine, Tokyo 181-8611, Japan
Eiichi Katsumoto: Katsumoto Mental Clinic, Osaka 543-0056, Japan
Ken Udagawa: Community Mental Health & Welfare Bonding Organization, Chiba 272-003, Japan
Ken Inada: Department of Psychiatry, Kitasato University School of Medicine, Kanagawa 252–0374, Japan
Koichiro Watanabe: Department of Neuropsychiatry, Kyorin University School of Medicine, Tokyo 181-8611, Japan
Kazuo Mishima: Department of Neuropsychiatry, Akita University Graduate School of Medicine, Akita 010-8543, Japan
Yoshikazu Takaesu: Department of Neuropsychiatry, Kyorin University School of Medicine, Tokyo 181-8611, Japan

IJERPH, 2023, vol. 20, issue 7, 1-11

Abstract: Background: Although long-term use of benzodiazepines and z-drugs (BZDs) is not recommended, little is known about the stakeholders’ perceptions. This study aimed to assess and compare the perceptions of BZD use and decision making regarding its discontinuation between psychiatric outpatients and psychiatrists. Methods: A cross-sectional survey was conducted. Results: Of 104 outpatients, 92% were taking hypnotics and 96% were taking anxiolytics for ≥a year, while 49% were willing to taper hypnotic/anxiolytics within a year of starting. Most psychiatrists felt that “patient and psychiatrist make the decision together on an equal basis” compared to patients ( p < 0.001), while more patients felt that “the decision is (was) made considering the psychiatrists’ opinion” compared to psychiatrists ( p < 0.001). Of 543 psychiatrists, 79% reported “patients were not willing to discontinue hypnotic/anxiolytic” whereas a certain number of patients conveyed “psychiatrists did not explain in enough detail about hypnotic/anxiolytic discontinuation such as procedure (18.3%), timing (19.2%), and appropriate condition (14.4%)”. Conclusion: The results suggest that the majority of psychiatric outpatients were taking hypnotic/anxiolytics for a long time against their will. There might be a difference in perceptions toward hypnotic/anxiolytic use and decision making for its discontinuation between psychiatric outpatients and psychiatrists. Further research is necessary to fill this gap.

Keywords: benzodiazepine; cross-sectional survey; psychiatric outpatient; treatment decision making; shared decision making; Japan (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2023
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