Related Experiment Videos
Long-term sedative use among community-dwelling adults: a population-based analysis
Deirdre Weymann1, Emilie J Gladstone1, Kate Smolina1
1University of British Columbia (Weymann, Gladstone, Smolina, Morgan), School of Population and Public Health; British Columbia Cancer Agency (Weymann), Canadian Centre for Applied Research in Cancer Control, Vancouver, BC.
CMAJ Open
|April 13, 2017
Summary
Long-term sedative use, including benzodiazepines and z-drugs, increased in British Columbia from 2004-2013, primarily among middle-aged adults. This trend highlights the need for deprescribing strategies across all age groups.
Area of Science:
- Pharmacology and Public Health
- Geriatric Medicine
- Epidemiology
Background:
- Chronic use of benzodiazepines and z-drugs poses significant health risks across all age demographics.
- Assessing long-term sedative use trends is crucial for public health interventions.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate longitudinal trends in long-term sedative use among community-dwelling adults in British Columbia from 2004 to 2013.
- To identify demographic and socioeconomic factors associated with long-term sedative use.
Main Methods:
- Population-based linked administrative databases were utilized for longitudinal analysis.
- Adults were categorized into nonusers, short-term users, and long-term users based on dispensation patterns.
- Logistic regression models identified risk factors for long-term sedative use in 2013.
Main Results:
- Long-term sedative use remained stable in older adults but increased slightly in young and middle-aged adults (18-64 years) between 2004 and 2013.
- The decrease in benzodiazepine use was counteracted by an increase in z-drug use.
- Older age, illness, poverty, and single marital status were associated with higher odds of long-term sedative use.
Conclusions:
- Despite interventions, long-term sedative use in British Columbia rose from 2004-2013, driven by middle-aged adults.
- Targeted deprescribing initiatives for all age groups are recommended to address this growing public health concern.