{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,5,27]],"date-time":"2026-05-27T18:36:08Z","timestamp":1779906968229,"version":"3.53.1"},"reference-count":17,"publisher":"MDPI AG","issue":"1","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2025,2,1]],"date-time":"2025-02-01T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1738368000000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0\/"}],"funder":[{"name":"Imperial College London Open Access Fund"},{"name":"NIHR North-West London Patient Safety Research Collaboration (NIHR NWL PSRC)"},{"name":"National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR) Applied Research Collaboration North West London (NIHR ARC NWL)"}],"content-domain":{"domain":[],"crossmark-restriction":false},"short-container-title":["Geriatrics"],"abstract":"<jats:p>Background\/Objectives: The predictors of successful discontinuation of benzodiazepine agonist receptors (BZRA) in elderly patients are not well known due to lack of research on the subject, and there is a need for further investigation, with more focus from the patients\u2019 point of view. No previous studies were identified that have been conducted in Portugal on this subject. We proposed to identify the barriers and facilitators in the discontinuation of BZRA from the perceptions of elderly patients under prolonged prescription of BZRA, belonging to the same rural community. The contributions for further research are intended to be the identification of potential intervention targets directed at patients to reduce the prevalence of elderly patients under prolonged prescription of BZRA. Methods: A set of 15 semi-structured interviews with patients under prolonged prescription of BZRA was conducted. Content analysis was done by the main researcher and a reviewer to identify original emerging themes for the two underlying domains. Results: Four themes were identified as barriers to the discontinuation of BZRA: (1) patient characteristics, (2) clinical factors, (3) medication-related factors, and (4) context and external factors. Seven themes were identified as facilitators to the discontinuation of BZRA: (1) motivation, (2) patients\u2019 knowledge, (3) perception of BZRA insufficiency, (4) access to written information, (5) access to alternatives, (6) time for decision-making, and (7) attitudes of health professionals. Conclusions: The findings highlight the challenging nature of BZRA discontinuation and the range of barriers and facilitators that impact patients\u2019 behaviour towards this purpose. We subdivided the elements identified in two areas, therefore aiming at producing significant knowledge to outline potential intervention targets.<\/jats:p>","DOI":"10.3390\/geriatrics10010018","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2025,2,3]],"date-time":"2025-02-03T05:36:32Z","timestamp":1738560992000},"page":"18","update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3390\/mdpi_crossmark_policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":2,"title":["Identification of Barriers and Needs in the Discontinuation of Benzodiazepine Receptor Agonists in Elderly Patients of a Rural Community\u2014A Qualitative Study"],"prefix":"10.3390","volume":"10","author":[{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0009-0009-2328-3481","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Tiago","family":"de Barros Mendes","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"USF Portel (ULS Alentejo Central), Parque da Matriz, 7220-361 Portel, Portugal"},{"name":"School of Health and Human Development (SHHD), University of \u00c9vora, Col\u00e9gio Luis Ant\u00f3nio Verney, Rua Rom\u00e3o Ramalho, n\u00ba59, 7000-671 Evora, Portugal"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-7476-4885","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Marta","family":"Nazha","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"USF S\u00e3o Filipe (ULS Arr\u00e1bida), Rua Batalha do Viso, n\u00ba 46, 2900-264 Setubal, Portugal"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Ana Lu\u00edsa","family":"Neves","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Primary Care and Public Health, Imperial College London, London W6 8RP, UK"},{"name":"Faculty of Medicine, The University of Porto, Rua Dr. Pl\u00e1cido da Costa, s\/n, 4200-450 Oporto, Portugal"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-5013-6171","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Paula","family":"Broeiro-Gon\u00e7alves","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"NOVA Medical School, Universidade Nova de Lisboa, Campo M\u00e1rtires da P\u00e1tria, n\u00ba 130, 1169-056 Lisbon, Portugal"},{"name":"UCSP Olivais (ULS Lisboa Central), Alameda da Encarna\u00e7\u00e3o, Olivais, 1800-192 Lisbon, Portugal"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]}],"member":"1968","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2025,2,1]]},"reference":[{"key":"ref_1","unstructured":"Ministry of Health, Central Administration of the Health System (Portugal) (2017). 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