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Benzodiazepine anti-anxiety agents: prevalence and correlates of use in a southern community.

Publication ,  Journal Article
Swartz, M; Landerman, R; George, LK; Melville, ML; Blazer, D; Smith, K
Published in: Am J Public Health
May 1991

BACKGROUND: Benzodiazepine anti-anxiety agents are the most widely prescribed psychotherapeutic drugs in the United States today. Recent evidence, however, suggests that their use may be decreasing. METHODS: We examine the population prevalence and correlates of use of benzodiazepine anxiolytics at the Duke site of the NIMH-sponsored Epidemiologic Catchment Area project. RESULTS: Bivariate analysis of use patterns for the drugs revealed demographic predictors similar to those reported in previous studies: increased likelihood of use by the elderly, Whites, women, the less educated, and the separated or divorced. Use is also associated with symptoms of psychic distress, negative life events, use of health care services, and diagnoses of affective disorder, agoraphobia with panic, and panic disorder. Age, sex, race, education, and marital status remain associated with non-hypnotic benzodiazepine use in a logistic regression analysis. CONCLUSIONS: Multivariate analyses of these data indicate that when potential confounding factors are controlled, age, sex, race, education, and marital status are significantly related to benzodiazepine anxiolytic use but the effects of sex and education are mediated by intervening variables. Implications of these findings are discussed particularly in relation to high levels of use in the elderly.

Duke Scholars

Published In

Am J Public Health

DOI

ISSN

0090-0036

Publication Date

May 1991

Volume

81

Issue

5

Start / End Page

592 / 596

Location

United States

Related Subject Headings

  • Sex Factors
  • Rural Population
  • Racial Groups
  • Public Health
  • North Carolina
  • Middle Aged
  • Marriage
  • Male
  • Logistic Models
  • Humans
 

Citation

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Chicago
ICMJE
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Swartz, M., Landerman, R., George, L. K., Melville, M. L., Blazer, D., & Smith, K. (1991). Benzodiazepine anti-anxiety agents: prevalence and correlates of use in a southern community. Am J Public Health, 81(5), 592–596. https://doi.org/10.2105/ajph.81.5.592
Swartz, M., R. Landerman, L. K. George, M. L. Melville, D. Blazer, and K. Smith. “Benzodiazepine anti-anxiety agents: prevalence and correlates of use in a southern community.Am J Public Health 81, no. 5 (May 1991): 592–96. https://doi.org/10.2105/ajph.81.5.592.
Swartz M, Landerman R, George LK, Melville ML, Blazer D, Smith K. Benzodiazepine anti-anxiety agents: prevalence and correlates of use in a southern community. Am J Public Health. 1991 May;81(5):592–6.
Swartz, M., et al. “Benzodiazepine anti-anxiety agents: prevalence and correlates of use in a southern community.Am J Public Health, vol. 81, no. 5, May 1991, pp. 592–96. Pubmed, doi:10.2105/ajph.81.5.592.
Swartz M, Landerman R, George LK, Melville ML, Blazer D, Smith K. Benzodiazepine anti-anxiety agents: prevalence and correlates of use in a southern community. Am J Public Health. 1991 May;81(5):592–596.
Journal cover image

Published In

Am J Public Health

DOI

ISSN

0090-0036

Publication Date

May 1991

Volume

81

Issue

5

Start / End Page

592 / 596

Location

United States

Related Subject Headings

  • Sex Factors
  • Rural Population
  • Racial Groups
  • Public Health
  • North Carolina
  • Middle Aged
  • Marriage
  • Male
  • Logistic Models
  • Humans