Evaluation of the Mindfulness-Based Relapse Prevention program for cessation and/or reduction of benzodiazepine chronic use to induce sleep among women

• Grant number: 13/20367-6
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Doctorate
• Effective date (Start): January 01, 2014
• Effective date (End): September 30, 2017
• Field of knowledge: Humanities - Psychology - Psychological Treatment and Prevention
• Principal Investigator: Ana Regina Noto
• Grantee: Víviam Vargas de Barros
• Host Institution: Escola Paulista de Medicina (EPM). Universidade Federal de São Paulo (UNIFESP). Campus São Paulo. São Paulo , SP, Brazil

Abstract

Benzodiazepines (BZD) are prescribed the most prescribed psychiatric drugs in Brazil, especially for women. Although it is recommended that the use of BZD is not greater than four weeks, there are many cases of prolonged use due to the lack of treatment options for dealing with complaints of insomnia. Given this, the aim of this project is to evaluate the program Mindfulness-Based Relapse Prevention (MBRP) for adult women with chronic use of benzodiazepine (BZD) to induce sleep. Specifically aims to evaluate the effectiveness of MBRP, compared to the standard protocol of Relapse Prevention (RP) in the pattern of use and level of dependence of chronic users of BZD under gradual reduction (tapering) or cessation of the use of BZD. This study will be conducted at the Drug Dependency Unit (UDED) of the Department of Psychobiology of UNIFESP. The study will follow a randomized clinical trial design with intervention group (IG) and control group (CG). The sample will comprise 100 women with chronic use of BZD as hypnotics, 50 will be randomized in the IG condition and 50 in the CG condition. Changes will be evaluated on several variables such as cessation and dependence of BZD, quality of life, sleep, anxiety, depression and sexual satisfaction before and after the intervention in both groups. The data will be submitted to descriptive and inferential bivariate and multivariate statistic analyzes. It is hoped that this study create subsidies for the development of complementary interventions for the management of withdrawal symptoms in chronic users of BZD.

Scientific publications

(References retrieved automatically from Web of Science and SciELO through information on FAPESP grants and their corresponding numbers as mentioned in the publications by the authors)

DE BARROS, VIVIAM VARGAS; OPALEYE, EMERITA S.; NOTO, ANA R.. Is the regulation of Z-drugs in Brazil in line with scientific research and international standards?. Revista Brasileira de Psiquiatria, v. 40, n. 1, p. 113, JAN-MAR 2018. (13/20367-6)

BARROS, VIVIAM VARGAS; OPALEYE, EMERITA SATIRO; DEMARZO, MARCELO; CURADO, DANIELA FERNANDEZ; BOWEN, SARAH; HACHUL, HELENA; NOTO, ANA REGINA. Effects of Mindfulness-Based Relapse Prevention on the Chronic use of Hypnotics in Treatment-Seeking Women with Insomnia: a Randomized Controlled Trial. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF BEHAVIORAL MEDICINE, MAY 2021. (13/20367-6)