@article{ref1,
title="Ten-year trends in benzodiazepine use in the Dutch population",
journal="Social psychiatry and psychiatric epidemiology",
year="2012",
author="Sonnenberg, Caroline M. and Bierman, Ellis J. M. and Deeg, Dorly J. H. and Comijs, Hannie C. and van Tilburg, Willem and Beekman, Aartjan T. F.",
volume="47",
number="2",
pages="293-301",
abstract="BACKGROUND: In the past decades knowledge on adequate treatment of affective disorders and awareness of the negative consequences of long-term benzodiazepine use increased. Therefore, a decrease in benzodiazepine use is expected, particularly in prolonged use. The aim of this study was to assess time trends in benzodiazepine use. METHODS AND MATERIAL: Data from the Longitudinal Aging Study Amsterdam (LASA) were used to investigate trends in benzodiazepine use between 1992 and 2002 in two population-based samples aged 55-64 years. Differences between the two samples with respect to benzodiazepine use and to sociodemographic, physical health and mental health characteristics were described and tested with chi-square tests and logistic regression analyses. RESULTS: Benzodiazepine use remained stable over 10 years, with 7.8% in LASA-1 (n = 874) and 7.9% in LASA-2 (n = 919) (p = 0.90) with a persisting preponderance in women and in people with low education, low income, chronic physical diseases, functional limitations, cognitive impairment, depression, anxiety complaints, sleep problems and when using antidepressants. Long-term use remained high with 70% in 1992 and 80% in 2002 of total benzodiazepine use. CONCLUSION: In the Dutch population aged 55-64, overall benzodiazepine use remained stable from 1992 to 2002, with a high proportion of long-term users, despite the effort to reduce benzodiazepine use and the renewal of the guidelines. More effort should be made to decrease prolonged benzodiazepine use in this middle-aged group, because of the increasing risks with ageing.<p /> <p>Language: en</p>",
language="en",
issn="0933-7954",
doi="10.1007/s00127-011-0344-1",
url="http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s00127-011-0344-1"
}