Benzodiazepine use in Chile: impact of availability on use, abuse, and dependence.
This study tested the hypothesis whether over-the-counter benzodiazepine availability influenced patterns of benzodiazepine use, abuse, and dependence in Chile. If over-the-counter availability represents a major risk factor leading to benzodiazepine substance use disorders, rates of abuse, and dependence would be significantly higher among over-the-counter benzodiazepine users than among prescription drug users. The study was a household survey of a stratified sample (N = 1,500) of the Santiago (Chile) population performed by trained interviewers. Data were collected by structured questionnaires on demographic characteristics, drug use, psychoactive substance use disorders, and other psychosocial variables. Past-year prevalence of benzodiazepine use was 31.4%, daily use of benzodiazepines for > or = 12 months, 5.9%, and subjects who met DSM-III-R criteria for dependence, 3.3%. Seventy-four percent of subjects obtained the benzodiazepine over-the-counter (always 45%; sometimes 29%). No subject acknowledged recreational benzodiazepine use or met criteria for benzodiazepine abuse. Use, long-term use, and dependence occurred equally frequently among both over-the-counter and prescription benzodiazepine users. Results suggest that although over-the-counter availability increases benzodiazepine use, it is not a major risk factor that leads to benzodiazepine abuse and/or dependence.
Busto
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Clinical Research and Treatment Institute, Addiction Research Foundation, Toronto, Canada.
Ruiz
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Busto
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M
Gacitúa
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A
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001569:Benzodiazepines; D002677:Chile; D011307:Drug Prescriptions; D004363:Drug Utilization; D005260:Female; D006306:Health Surveys; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D019966:Substance-Related Disorders; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires
D001569:Benzodiazepines