Severity of alprazolam dependence and associated features among long-term alprazolam users from psychiatric outpatient clinics in Taiwan.
OBJECTIVE
The aim of this study was to examine the correlations between the severity of alprazolam dependence and socio-demographic characteristics, the characteristics of alprazolam use, psychiatric comorbidity, and beliefs toward alprazolam use among long-term alprazolam users in Taiwan.


METHODS
A total of 148 long-term alprazolam users participated in this study. The Chinese version of the Severity of Dependence Scale was used to assess participants' severity of alprazolam dependence in the preceding month. Their socio-demographic characteristics, family function characteristics, dosage of prescribed alprazolam, duration of alprazolam use, alcohol use pattern, pain reliever and cigarette use pattern, severity of depressive symptoms, psychiatric diagnosis, and belief toward alprazolam use were investigated.


RESULTS
The results of multiple regression analysis indicated that a longer duration of alprazolam use, severe depressive symptoms, a high level of belief in the necessity of alprazolam treatment, and a high level of concern about the potential adverse consequences of alprazolam use were significantly associated with more severe alprazolam dependence.


CONCLUSIONS
Doctors should closely monitor the severity of alprazolam dependence among long-term users, especially patients' levels of depression, beliefs in the necessity of alprazolam treatment, and their concerns over the adverse consequences of continued treatment with alprazolam.
Department of Psychiatry, Yun-Lin Branch, National Taiwan University Hospital, Yunlin, Taiwan.
Tzu-Ting
TT
Chen
Department of Psychiatry, Kaohsiung Medical University Hospital, Kaohsiung Medical University, Kaohsiung, Taiwan; Department of Psychiatry, Faculty of Medicine, and Graduate Institute of Medicine, School of Medicine, Kaohsiung Medical University, Kaohsiung, Taiwan; Department of Psychiatry, Kaohsiung Municipal Hsiao-Kang Hospital, Kaohsiung Medical University, Kaohsiung, Taiwan.
Chih-Hung
CH
Ko
School of Medicine, Buddhist Tzu Chi University, Hualien, Taiwan; Department of Psychiatry, Buddhist Tzu Chi General Hospital, Hualien, Taiwan.
Shao-Tsu
ST
Chen
Department of Psychiatry, Tainan Hospital, Ministry of Health and Welfare, Executive Yuan, Tainan, Taiwan.
Chia-Nan
CN
Yen
Department of Psychiatry, Chu-Tung Branch, National Taiwan University Hospital, Hsinchu, Taiwan.
Po-Wen
PW
Su
Department of Psychiatry, National Taiwan University Hospital and College of Medicine, Taipei, Taiwan; Neurobiology and Cognitive Science Center, National Taiwan University, Taipei, Taiwan. Electronic address: tjhwang@ntu.edu.tw.
Tzung-Jeng
TJ
Hwang
Department of Psychiatry, Chi-Mei Medical Center, Tainan, Taiwan; Department of Psychiatry, Chi-Mei Hospital, Liuying Campus, Tainan, Taiwan; Department of Psychiatry, School of Medicine, College of Medicine, Taipei Medical University, Taipei, Taiwan.
Jin-Jia
JJ
Lin
Department of Psychiatry, Kaohsiung Medical University Hospital, Kaohsiung Medical University, Kaohsiung, Taiwan; Department of Psychiatry, Faculty of Medicine, and Graduate Institute of Medicine, School of Medicine, Kaohsiung Medical University, Kaohsiung, Taiwan. Electronic address: chfaye@cc.kmu.edu.tw.
Cheng-Fang
CF
Yen
D000328:Adult; D000525:Alprazolam / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000554:Ambulatory Care Facilities; D014151:Anti-Anxiety Agents / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D001008:Anxiety Disorders / Q000188:drug therapy*; D015897:Comorbidity; D003863:Depression / Q000175:diagnosis*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015999:Multivariate Analysis; D011569:Psychiatric Status Rating Scales; D012044:Regression Analysis; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D019966:Substance-Related Disorders / Q000523:psychology*; D013624:Taiwan
D014151:Anti-Anxiety Agents; D000525:Alprazolam
alprazolam; benzodiazepines; correlates; drug dependence; psychiatric outpatients