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- Title
Ten-year trends in benzodiazepine use in the Dutch population.
- Authors
Sonnenberg CM; Bierman EJ; Deeg DJ; Comijs HC; van Tilburg W; Beekman AT; Sonnenberg, Caroline M; Bierman, Ellis J M; Deeg, Dorly J H; Comijs, Hannie C; van Tilburg, Willem; Beekman, Aartjan T F
- Abstract
<bold>Background: </bold>In the past decades knowledge on adequate treatment of affective disorders and awareness of the negative consequences of long-term benzodiazepine use increased. Therefore, a decrease in benzodiazepine use is expected, particularly in prolonged use. The aim of this study was to assess time trends in benzodiazepine use.<bold>Methods and Material: </bold>Data from the Longitudinal Aging Study Amsterdam (LASA) were used to investigate trends in benzodiazepine use between 1992 and 2002 in two population-based samples aged 55-64 years. Differences between the two samples with respect to benzodiazepine use and to sociodemographic, physical health and mental health characteristics were described and tested with chi-square tests and logistic regression analyses.<bold>Results: </bold>Benzodiazepine use remained stable over 10 years, with 7.8% in LASA-1 (n = 874) and 7.9% in LASA-2 (n = 919) (p = 0.90) with a persisting preponderance in women and in people with low education, low income, chronic physical diseases, functional limitations, cognitive impairment, depression, anxiety complaints, sleep problems and when using antidepressants. Long-term use remained high with 70% in 1992 and 80% in 2002 of total benzodiazepine use.<bold>Conclusion: </bold>In the Dutch population aged 55-64, overall benzodiazepine use remained stable from 1992 to 2002, with a high proportion of long-term users, despite the effort to reduce benzodiazepine use and the renewal of the guidelines. More effort should be made to decrease prolonged benzodiazepine use in this middle-aged group, because of the increasing risks with ageing.
- Publication
Social Psychiatry & Psychiatric Epidemiology, 2012, Vol 47, Issue 2, p293
- ISSN
0933-7954
- Publication type
journal article
- DOI
10.1007/s00127-011-0344-1