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. 2018 Oct 16;79(6):18m12174.
doi: 10.4088/JCP.18m12174.

Prevalence and Correlates of Benzodiazepine Use, Misuse, and Use Disorders Among Adults in the United States

Carlos Blanco  1   2 , Beth Han  3 , Christopher M Jones  3 , Kimberly Johnson  3 , Wilson M Compton  2
Affiliations

Prevalence and Correlates of Benzodiazepine Use, Misuse, and Use Disorders Among Adults in the United States

Carlos Blanco et al. J Clin Psychiatry. .

Abstract

Objective: Although benzodiazepine misuse and use disorders are associated with adverse health effects, it is unknown what proportion of benzodiazepine users misuse them or meet criteria for benzodiazepine use disorders. The goal of this study was to examine the prevalence and correlates of benzodiazepine use, misuse, and use disorders among US adults.

Methods: Data from 102,000 adults 18 years and older who participated in the 2015-2016 National Surveys on Drug Use and Health were used. IMS Health Total Patient Tracker data were also examined. Descriptive analyses and multinomial logistic regressions were applied.

Results: Among US adults in 2015-2016, 12.5% (annual average, 95% CI, 12.19%-12.81%) used benzodiazepines, 2.1% (95% CI, 2.03%-2.25%) misused benzodiazepines at least once, and 0.2% (95% CI, 0.15%-0.22%) had benzodiazepine use disorders. Among benzodiazepine users, 17.1% (95% CI, 16.30%-17.93%) misused benzodiazepines, and 1.5% (95% CI, 1.26%-1.72%) had benzodiazepine use disorders. Benzodiazepine use was associated with emergency room visits, suicidal ideation, use of most substances, and mental disorders. Benzodiazepine misuse without use disorders was associated with younger age, male sex, being black, poor educational attainment, being uninsured and unemployed, being single, having family income below $50,000, and having suicidal ideation and other specific substance use problems. Correlates of benzodiazepine use disorders were similar, but most correlates were associated with benzodiazepine use disorders more strongly than with misuse without use disorders.

Conclusions: While benzodiazepine use is highly prevalent among US adults, benzodiazepine use disorders are relatively rare among benzodiazepine users. Our results help characterize benzodiazepine users and identify adults at risk for misuse and use disorders.

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Conflict of interest statement

Conflict of Interest Disclosures: Unrelated to the submitted work, Compton reports ownership of stock in General Electric Co., 3M Co., and Pfizer Inc., and Blanco reports ownership of stock in General Electric, Sanofi, and Eli Lilly, Inc. Han, Johnson, and Jones have no conflicts to disclose.

Figures

Figure 1.
Figure 1.
Benzodiazepine use, misuse, and use disorders among adults in the United States: Annual averages, 2015–2016 (all circles below are approximately proportionally sized by area)
Figure 2.
Figure 2.
Main reason for misusing benzodiazepine the most recent time in the past year among U.S. adults with past-year benzodiazepine misuse whose last prescription tranquilizer or sedative misuse was benzodiazepine, 2015–2016, annual average weighted percentage (n=2,900)
Figure 3.
Figure 3.
Most recent source of benzodiazepine among U.S. adults with past-year benzodiazepine misuse whose last prescription tranquilizer or sedative misuse was benzodiazepine, 2015–2016, annual average weighted percentage (n=2,800)
See this image and copyright information in PMC

References

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