TY - JOUR
AU - T. G. Siddiqui
AU - T. H. B. Simonsen
AU - Lie Selle
AU - C. Lundqvist
A1 - 
AB - BACKGROUND: Z-hypnotics are commonly prescribed for insomnia, but their use in older adults is associated with an increased risk of adverse events. AIM: We examined the long-term effect of brief intervention (BI) for inappropriate z-hypnotic use, where the control group crossed over to receive the BI 6 months after baseline. DESIGN AND SETTING: A before-and-after intervention study was conducted in general practice. Older patients received the BI from trained general practitioners. METHOD: The BI group and the business-as-usual (BAU) group received the intervention with a six-month delay. The primary outcome: proportion of participants without inappropriate z-hypnotic use (≥4 weeks of use, ≥3 times per week). Secondary outcomes: the Global Sleep Assessment Questionnaire (GSAQ), pain visual analogue scale (VAS), Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MOCA), and Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS). Patients were assessed at baseline, 6 weeks, 6 months, and 12 months. RESULTS: We included 45 patients (31 female, mean age 69.4 years) and 21 GPs in the study. We found a significant reduction in inappropriate z-hypnotic use from baseline (68.9%) to post-treatment (27.78%), OR = 0.16, 95% CI: 0.04, 0.65, p = 0.01. GSAQ-insomnia score stayed low throughout the study. At 6 months, no participant reported insomnia. HADS was significantly reduced from baseline (mean 10.1) to post-intervention (mean 7.3, Cohen's d = -0.44, p < 0.01), whereas MOCA and VAS pain did not change significantly from baseline to post-intervention. CONCLUSION: The proportion of patients with inappropriate z-hypnotic use decreased after BI without negatively affecting sleep, mood, pain, or cognitive function.. TRIAL REGISTRATION: clinicaltrials.gov (NCT06032715).
AD - Health Services Research Unit (HØKH), Akershus University Hospital, Lørenskog, Norway.; Faculty of Medicine, Institute of Clinical Medicine, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway.
AN - 42031000
BT - Scand J Prim Health Care
C5 - Opioids & Substance Use; Healthcare Disparities
CP - 1
DA - 12/2026
DO - 10.1080/02813432.2026.2660168
DP - NLM
ET - 20260424
IS - 1
JF - Scand J Prim Health Care
LA - eng
N2 - BACKGROUND: Z-hypnotics are commonly prescribed for insomnia, but their use in older adults is associated with an increased risk of adverse events. AIM: We examined the long-term effect of brief intervention (BI) for inappropriate z-hypnotic use, where the control group crossed over to receive the BI 6 months after baseline. DESIGN AND SETTING: A before-and-after intervention study was conducted in general practice. Older patients received the BI from trained general practitioners. METHOD: The BI group and the business-as-usual (BAU) group received the intervention with a six-month delay. The primary outcome: proportion of participants without inappropriate z-hypnotic use (≥4 weeks of use, ≥3 times per week). Secondary outcomes: the Global Sleep Assessment Questionnaire (GSAQ), pain visual analogue scale (VAS), Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MOCA), and Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS). Patients were assessed at baseline, 6 weeks, 6 months, and 12 months. RESULTS: We included 45 patients (31 female, mean age 69.4 years) and 21 GPs in the study. We found a significant reduction in inappropriate z-hypnotic use from baseline (68.9%) to post-treatment (27.78%), OR = 0.16, 95% CI: 0.04, 0.65, p = 0.01. GSAQ-insomnia score stayed low throughout the study. At 6 months, no participant reported insomnia. HADS was significantly reduced from baseline (mean 10.1) to post-intervention (mean 7.3, Cohen's d = -0.44, p < 0.01), whereas MOCA and VAS pain did not change significantly from baseline to post-intervention. CONCLUSION: The proportion of patients with inappropriate z-hypnotic use decreased after BI without negatively affecting sleep, mood, pain, or cognitive function.. TRIAL REGISTRATION: clinicaltrials.gov (NCT06032715).
PY - 2026
SN - 0281-3432 (Print); 0281-3432
SP - 2660168
ST - Brief intervention for inappropriate z-hypnotics use in older adults: a before and after intervention study in primary care
T1 - Brief intervention for inappropriate z-hypnotics use in older adults: a before and after intervention study in primary care
T2 - Scand J Prim Health Care
TI - Brief intervention for inappropriate z-hypnotics use in older adults: a before and after intervention study in primary care
U1 - Opioids & Substance Use; Healthcare Disparities
U3 - 10.1080/02813432.2026.2660168
VL - 44
VO - 0281-3432 (Print); 0281-3432
Y1 - 2026
ER -