Patients' perceptions of hypnotic medications and factors associated with the desire to discontinue among regular users: A cross-sectional questionnaire survey in community pharmacies.

Long-term use of hypnotic medications is associated with adverse events, and clinical guidelines recommend periodic reassessment and deprescribing when appropriate. However, little is known about patients who perceive hypnotic medications as necessary while wishing to discontinue treatment. This study investigated the association between perceived necessity and the desire to discontinue treatment and factors associated with discontinuation desire among patients who perceived hypnotics as necessary. A cross-sectional anonymous questionnaire survey was conducted among patients receiving regular hypnotic therapy at community pharmacies in June 2026. The questionnaire assessed perceived necessity, desire to discontinue, concerns about adverse effects, sleep quality, and treatment satisfaction. The association between perceived necessity and discontinuation desire was evaluated using the chi-square test. Factors associated with discontinuation desire among patients who perceived hypnotics as necessary were examined using multivariable logistic regression. Among 193 patients, 163 (84.5%) perceived hypnotic medications as necessary every day; of these, 56 (34.4%) wished to discontinue treatment. In contrast, 19 of 30 patients (63.3%) who did not perceive hypnotic medications as necessary every day expressed a desire to discontinue treatment (p = 0.003). Among patients perceiving hypnotics as necessary, concerns about adverse effects were associated with discontinuation desire (odds ratio, 4.01; 95% confidence interval, 1.92-8.38; p < 0.001). These exploratory findings demonstrate that perceived necessity and discontinuation desire can coexist and warrant prospective investigation of patients' perceptions and subsequent deprescribing behavior.