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The Prevalence of Benzodiazepine Dependence among Community-Dwelling Older Adult Users in Quebec According to Typical and Atypical Criteria*

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  27 April 2010

Philippe Voyer ,
Michel Préville ,
David Cohen ,
Djamal Berbiche  and
Sarah-Gabrielle Béland
Philippe Voyer*
Affiliation:
Faculty of Nursing at Laval University and Center for Excellence in Aging – Research Unit
Michel Préville
Affiliation:
Faculty of Medicine, Université de Sherbrooke, and Research Center of the Hôpital Charles LeMoyne
David Cohen
Affiliation:
School of Social Work, Florida International University
Djamal Berbiche
Affiliation:
Centre de recherche de l’Hôpital Charles LeMoyne
Sarah-Gabrielle Béland
Affiliation:
Sherbrooke University
*
†Correspondence concerning this article should be addressed to / La correspondance concernant cet article doit être adressées à: Philippe Voyer, Faculty of Nursing, Université Laval, 1050, rue de la Médecine, Pavillon Ferdinand-Vandry, bureau 3445 Université Laval, Québec (Québec) CANADA G1V 0A6 (Philippe.Voyer@fsi.ulaval.ca)
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Abstract

Background: Use of benzodiazepines, common among older people, may lead to substance dependence. DSM-IV-TR criteria for this iatrogenic problem may apply poorly to older persons following a physician-prescribed regimen. This study, first of its kind, aimed to determine the prevalence rate of benzodiazepine dependence in older persons according to DSM-IV-TR and other atypical criteria.

Methods: Descriptive study based on face-to-face interviews conducted in the homes of 2,785 persons aged 65 years or older who were randomly selected from across the province of Quebec, Canada.

Results: Use of benzodiazepines was reported by 25.4% of respondents. Among them, 9.5% met DSM-IV-TR criteria for substance dependence. However, 43% of users reported being dependent, and one third agreed that it would be a good thing to stop taking benzodiazepines.

Interpretation: Benzodiazepine substance dependence is established at one tenth of community-dwelling older persons taking these medications, although a much larger proportion self-labels as dependent.

Résumé

Contexte: La consommation de benzodiazépines est reconnue pour pouvoir entraîner un problème de dépendance. Les critères diagnostiques de la dépendance du DSM-IV-TR ne s’appliqueraient pas toujours à la situation d’un médicament prescrit par un médecin. Cette recherche vise à déterminer la prévalence de la dépendance aux benzodiazépines chez les aînés selon les critères classiques et des critères atypiques.

Méthode: Étude descriptive basée sur des entrevues réalisées au domicile de 2785 aînés sélectionnés de façon aléatoire dans la province de Québec, Canada.

Résultats: Le quart (25,4%) des participants de l’étude étaient consommateurs de benzodiazépines et 9,5% d’entre eux étaient dépendants selon le DSM-IV-TR. Toutefois, 43% des aînés consommateurs se disaient dépendants du médicament et un tiers souhaite arrêter de le consommer.

Interprétation: La dépendance aux benzodiazépines se présenteraient chez environ 10% des aînés consommateurs selon les critères classiques, pourtant plus de 40% d’entre eux se disent dépendants.

Keywords

benzodiazépinesla dépendance aux substancesles personnes âgéesl’épidémiologiebenzodiazepinessubstance dependenceolder personsepidemiology
Type
Articles
Information
Canadian Journal on Aging / La Revue canadienne du vieillissement , Volume 29 , Issue 2 , June 2010 , pp. 205 - 213
Copyright
Copyright © Canadian Association on Gerontology 2010

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Footnotes

*

The authors thank the Canadian Institute for Health Research for its financial support (reference number: 52350). This work was also supported through a Fonds de la recherche en santé du Québec (Quebec Health Research Fund) and Quebec Nursing Research Fund (Fonds de la recherche en sciences infirmières du Québec) Investigator Award to Philippe Voyer.

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