{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,5,7]],"date-time":"2026-05-07T00:30:27Z","timestamp":1778113827603,"version":"3.51.4"},"reference-count":13,"publisher":"American Association of Psychiatric Pharmacists (AAPP)","issue":"3","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2019,9,24]],"date-time":"2019-09-24T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1569283200000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":511,"URL":"http:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by-nc\/3.0\/"}],"content-domain":{"domain":[],"crossmark-restriction":false},"short-container-title":[],"published-print":{"date-parts":[[2018,5,1]]},"abstract":"<jats:title>Abstract<\/jats:title>\n               <jats:sec>\n                  <jats:title>Introduction:<\/jats:title>\n                  <jats:p>The use of benzodiazepines and sedative-hypnotics in the elderly is associated with a significant risk of delirium, falls, fractures, cognitive impairment, and motor vehicle accidents. This quality improvement project applies a direct-to-consumer intervention to an elderly veteran population to reduce the use of these medications.<\/jats:p>\n               <\/jats:sec>\n               <jats:sec>\n                  <jats:title>Methods:<\/jats:title>\n                  <jats:p>Patients aged 75 and older currently taking a benzodiazepine and\/or a sedative-hypnotic were included in the project. Direct-to-consumer education intervention letters were mailed to patients within 30 days of their next appointment. Their providers were emailed a questionnaire after the patient's appointment. Providers were asked if the letter prompted a conversation regarding medication use, whether the provider initiated discussion regarding a taper, and whether a specific taper plan was developed. Medical records were reviewed to determine if a reduction in dose or discontinuation occurred.<\/jats:p>\n               <\/jats:sec>\n               <jats:sec>\n                  <jats:title>Results:<\/jats:title>\n                  <jats:p>Fifty-nine direct-to-consumer education letters were mailed to the patients. Follow-up questionnaires were e-mailed to 44 providers, and 27 providers responded. Twenty-two percent of patients had their benzodiazepine and\/or sedative hypnotic dose reduced or discontinued after their follow-up appointment. Sixty-seven percent of veterans initiated a conversation with their provider regarding their medication with 74% of providers discussing dose reduction. Fifty-six percent of recipients developed a specific taper plan with their provider.<\/jats:p>\n               <\/jats:sec>\n               <jats:sec>\n                  <jats:title>Discussion:<\/jats:title>\n                  <jats:p>The data from this project suggests that direct-to-consumer patient education can reduce the exposure to benzodiazepines and sedative-hypnotics in an elderly veteran population. More data is needed on larger populations to further explore the benefit of direct-to-consumer interventions.<\/jats:p>\n               <\/jats:sec>","DOI":"10.9740\/mhc.2018.05.100","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2018,5,1]],"date-time":"2018-05-01T12:34:30Z","timestamp":1525178070000},"page":"100-104","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":4,"title":["Effectiveness of a direct-to-consumer written health education program in the reduction of benzodiazepine and sedative-hypnotic use in an elderly population at a single Veterans Affairs medical center"],"prefix":"10.9740","volume":"8","author":[{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-8550-1044","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"William J.","family":"Erwin","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"(Corresponding author) Clinical Pharmacy Specialist, Fayetteville North Carolina Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Fayetteville, North Carolina, william.erwin2@va.gov, william.erwin2015@gmail.com"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-2618-0260","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Courtney","family":"Goodman","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"Clinical Pharmacy Specialist, W.G. 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