Three hospitals in Badalona launch a trial to help reduce the use of sleeping pills among older adults
As part of the European BE-SAFE project and coordinated by the Health and Aging Foundation of the Autonomous University of Barcelona (UAB), a Randomized Controlled Trial (RCT) has been launched in Badalona.
03/12/2024
This trial, with the essential collaboration of Badalona Assistive Services (BSA) and the Germans Trias i Pujol Hospital of the Catalan Health Institute (ICS), will focus on testing an intervention designed to improve the safety of older adults in managing their sleep issues, aiming to reduce the use of benzodiazepines and sedative hypnotics, commonly known as "sleeping pills."
Launch of the randomized controlled trial in three centers in Badalona
The randomized trial will be conducted at three centers in the city of Badalona: the Germans Trias i Pujol Hospital of the Catalan Health Institute (ICS), the El Carme Socio-Health Center, and the Municipal Hospital of Badalona Assistive Services (BSA). The trial is expected to last approximately 18 months and will involve numerous professionals, patients, and families from the local community.
The intervention, based on a patient-centered approach, will offer support to older adults during a safe and gradual reduction of this type of medication. Health professionals will provide educational materials and support strategies to patients and their families. Additionally, physicians at the three centers will receive training to assist older adults throughout this process.
Ramon Miralles, Head of the Geriatrics Department at Germans Trias i Pujol Hospital and Director of the FSiE UAB, emphasized: "Collaboration between institutions is essential to achieve new advances in improving the safety of older adults. BE-SAFE is a clear example of this joint effort." Meanwhile, Begoña Pascual, Head of the Pharmacy Service at BSA, highlighted: "This project allows us to advance in the care of older adults, prioritizing their health and quality of life through interventions that result in a more effective and safer management of sleep problems."
BE-SAFE in a nutshell
The BE-SAFE project focuses on patient safety by addressing knowledge and practice gaps related to reducing medications used for sleep difficulties in Europe. BE-SAFE is a European research project funded by the Horizon program of the European Commission, under the HORIZON-HLTH-2021-CARE-05-01: Improving Quality of Care and Patient Safety work program, and by the State Secretariat for Education, Research, and Innovation (SERI) (contract no. 22.00116). The project runs from 2022 to 2027.