M. Egan et al., Long-term continuous use of benzodiazepines by older adults in Quebec: Prevalence, incidence and risk factors, J AM GER SO, 48(7), 2000, pp. 811-816
Citations number
39
Categorie Soggetti
Public Health & Health Care Science","General & Internal Medicine
OBJECTIVE: To determine the prevalence and incidence of long-term use of be
nzodiazepines and to assess patient-, prescriber-, and drug-related risk fa
ctors.
DESIGN: Cohort study.
PARTICIPANTS: 1423 community-dwelling older adults in Quebec who participat
ed in the Canadian Study of Health and Aging (CSHA1).
MEASUREMENTS: Patient characteristics were obtained from the CSHA1 database
. These were linked to provincial health insurance data to ascertain benzod
iazepine use and prescriber characteristics.
MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE: Use of benzodiazepines for at least 135 of the first
180 days following initiation of use.
RESULTS: Twelve-month prevalence of long-term continuous use, standardized
by age and gender to the Quebec population, was 19.8%. Twelve-month cumulat
ive incidence of long-term continuous use was 1.9%. Older patients were mor
e likely to proceed to long-term continuous use.
CONCLUSIONS: Risk of long-term continuous use of benzodiazepines seems to i
ncrease with age. This association was found to be independent of gender, h
ealth status, anxiety, cognitive status, benzodiazepine type, and physician
characteristics.