As more and more people consume medications, there is increasing concern about side effects and drug-drug interactions. Individuals taking two medications face a 13 % risk of adverse drug interactions, a 38 % risk if four medications are prescribed, and an 82 % risk if seven or more drugs are consumed. Inappropriate prescribing is largely preventable and easily avoidable with equally effective but lower-risk therapies. Interventions targeting physicians and pharmacists to reduce the risk of medication interactions and change prescriptions have not succeeded in substantially improving patient safety. We will test whether this knowledge transfer tool helps people decide to wean themselves off benzodiazepines with the help of their physician. If our effort is successful, then we will adapt our intervention for other inappropriate prescriptions.

Our project seeks to develop and test a new knowledge transfer tool aimed at activating and empowering the patient to be the primary driver of reducing inappropriate prescriptions.

Using computerized health technology systems, audiovisual materials, and written self-assessment and confidence building strategies, we will provide chronic benzodiazepine consumers with knowledge about their risks of adverse health events related to consumption of these medications, and simultaneously equip them with information on lower-risk therapeutic options.