Benzodiazepine use in Santiago, Chile.
BACKGROUND
To describe benzodiazepine use in the adult population from Santiago, Chile and attempt to establish associations with different sociodemographic and medical variables.


METHODS
This is a cross-sectional study whose sampling frame was the adult population, aged 16 to 64 years (n = 3,237,286). The sampling strategy was probabilistic, poly-stage and stratified.


RESULTS
A total of 3,870 persons were interviewed. Prevalence of benzodiazepine use was 3.84 %. Statistically significant associations were found between benzodiazepine use and gender, age, marital status, income, presence of a common mental disorder and health perception.


CONCLUSIONS
Training of the general practitioner to regulate the use of benzodiazepine is necessary.
Fritsch Montero
R
R
Facultad de Medicina, Hospital Clínico Universidad de Chile, Avenida La Paz 1003, Santiago, Chile. rfritsch@ns.hospital.uchile.cl
Rojas Castillo
G
G
Gaete Olivares
J
J
Araya Baltra
R
R
González Rubio
I
I
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D014151:Anti-Anxiety Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001569:Benzodiazepines / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D002391:Catchment Area, Health; D002677:Chile / Q000453:epidemiology; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D004363:Drug Utilization; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D001523:Mental Disorders / Q000188:drug therapy; D008875:Middle Aged
D014151:Anti-Anxiety Agents; D001569:Benzodiazepines