Social science & medicine
-
Social science & medicine · Jun 1997
Long-term benzodiazepine use: factors of importance and the development of individual use patterns over time--a 13-year follow-up in a Swedish community.
Using data from a research registry of prescriptions, we studied benzodiazepine use in a Swedish community with a general population of 20,000. A sample of benzodiazepine users in 1976 (n = 561) aged 15 years and older was identified and followed for 13 years with respect to continued benzodiazepine use. A strong tendency towards continued use was observed. ⋯ Because repeated measurements for the same individuals were analyzed, the generalized estimating equations (GEE) method was chosen for the multivariate analyses. Among long-term users, age, a combined use of tranquilizers and hypnotics, and prescriptions from more than one of the prescriber categories studied (i.e. doctors working at health centers, hospital doctors, and private doctors) were significant factors in frequent or daily use. The study also showed that frequent/daily use increased among the identified long-term users during the time period analyzed.