Patterns of the use of benzodiazepines in Australia

In six suburban areas of Sydney, chosen to provide a socioeconomic cross-section of the city, complete records of dispensing of benzodiazepine were collected over a four-week period. These drugs constituted 3.7% of all dispensing, female patients outnumbered males by 2.3:1, and 98% of patients were over 20 years of age. The predominance of females, and higher age groups was found in all the areas studied, but no socioeconomic correlation was detected in the use of the drugs. Analysis of national dispensing figures confirmed the higher consumption in higher age groups, and revealed no heterogeneity in per capita prescribing rates amongst the States.