[Health-related quality of life in patients consuming benzodiazepine]

To describe the health-related quality of life (HRQoL) in benzodiazepine users and to verify whether there is an association with the characteristics of the treatment, its effectiveness, and the sociodemographic variables.

Descriptive cross-sectional study.

Family medicine consultations.

Four hundred and fifty 2patients over 18 years of age consuming benzodiazepines or similar drugs.

HRQoL was assessed using the EuroQol5-D questionnaire. Other variables: symptoms of anxiety or insomnia, sociodemographic variables and characteristics of the treatment.

The mean score in health status was 62.80 (95% CI: 60.69-64.86), lower in people without studies (59.27±21.97 SD; P=.004) and lower social category (60.02±21.27 SD; P<.001). Regarding the social rate (EQ index), a mean score of 0.6025 (95% CI: 0.5659-0.6391) was obtained, higher in people with higher education (0.6577±0.3574 SD; P=.001), plus social category (0.7286±0.3381 SD; P<.001) and age less than 65 years (0.6603±0.3426 SD; P<.001). The variables that were associated with the value of the EQ index by means of multiple regression were absence of anxiety/insomnia, belonging to higher social classes, age less than 65 years and less consumption of anxiolytics/hypnotics.

Patients who use benzodiazepines show, despite treatment, a moderate HRQL, lower than that obtained in the general population or in primary care patients. The situation is more favorable in the youngest, in those who do not present anxiety/insomnia, in those belonging to higher social classes and when the consumption of drugs is lower.