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Background and Objective: The prevalence of sleep disorders increases with increasing age, where secondary sleep disorders are most common. Various factors such as polypharmacy and comorbidity can cause altered sleep patterns among the elderly which in turn results in secondary sleep disorders. Since the elders (≥65 years) have a high hypnotic prescription, an increased risk of adverse drug effects and appears to be reluctant to discontinuation, there is a high relevance to investigate their experience of hypnotics. The objective of this qualitative study was to explore experience of hypnotics in geriatric patients.

Design: The conducted study design was a qualitative interview study with a content analysis based on an inductive approach according to Elo & Kyngäs (2008). With the help of health care staff, nine suitable study participants were enrolled. The participants received an information letter about the aim of the study. Semi-structured interviews were conducted, recorded and transcribed.

Setting: Two geriatric departments in the County Hospital in Kalmar.

Main outcome measures: Experience of hypnotics in elderly.

Results: Hypnotics were perceived as a form of reassurance that improved the sleeping patterns, where factors such as environment and life situation could affect the needs. A feeling of abandonment appeared in cases where the drug did not give any effect. Discontinuation of hypnotics appeared to be challenging, resulting with participants often returning back to the medication. A minority of the patients had received information about the potential risks with long term use of hypnotics.

Conclusions: Hypnotics appeared to be a sense of security that facilitated the ability to sleep in elders, where various factors could affect the use of the medication. Long term use can result in failed discontinuation. To reduce unnecessary use of sleeping medicine there is a requirement of a plan for taper-discontinuation, that health care staff should inform the patients about potential risks and that a collaboration between the patients and the health care team is needed.