A benzodiazepine discontinuation programme does not increase the frequency of contacts with the family practice.

OBJECTIVE The efficacy of programmes to reduce long-term benzodiazepine use could be compromised by subsequent increases in contacts with the family practice. In this study the hypothesis was tested as to whether participation in a benzodiazepine discontinuation programme affects the frequency of contacts with the family practice. DESIGN A controlled stepped-care intervention programme to decrease long-term benzodiazepine use. SETTING Family practices in the Netherlands. Subjects. The experimental group consisted of 996 long-term benzodiazepine users and a control group of 883 long-term benzodiazepine users. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES Practice contacts before and up to 12 months after the start of the programme. RESULTS There was a general tendency visible for contacts to decrease during the follow-up time. The course of the number of contacts during the follow-up was not different for the experimental and control groups (p=0.45). The level of non-benzodiazepine prescriptions was generally not altered. The number of non-benzodiazepine prescriptions decreased in benzodiazepine quitters during the follow-up of the programme. CONCLUSION No clinically important differences in practice contacts were observed when the course of the number of contacts and non-benzodiazepine prescriptions were compared between the experimental and control groups. Family practitioners do not have to anticipate an increased workload associated with participation in such a benzodiazepine discontinuation programme.