Table 1 Demographics and characteristics of primary care patients who were prescribed a sedative-hypnotic/anxiolytic (n = 200)
Characteristic | Value |
|---|---|
Age (years) | |
 Mean | 55.8 |
 Median (range) | 57 (20–95) |
 65 + (n, %) | 123 (61.5) |
Female sex (n,%) | 122 (61.0) |
Smoking status (n,%) | |
 Current | 50 (25.0) |
 Past | 24 (12.0) |
 None | 50 (25.0) |
 Not recorded | 76 (38.0) |
Alcohol use (drinks/week; n,%) | |
 none | 39 (19.5) |
 < 7 | 37 (18.5) |
 7–14 | 7 (3.5) |
 > 14 | 6 (3.0) |
 Not recorded | 111 (55.5) |
Psychosocial intervention used (n,%) | 87 (43.5) |
Past tapering attempt (n,%) | 19 (9.5) |
Pattern of use (n,%) | |
 Short term use (≤ 8 weeks) | 57 (28.5) |
 Intermediate regular use (> 8 weeks to < 1 year) | 76 (38.0) |
 Long-term regular use (≥ 1 year) | 59 (29.5) |
 Intermittent use (variable duration of use with > 1 month break between use) | 45 (22.5) |
 Other (e.g., SIG not detailed, active external medication) | 11 (5.5) |
Sedative-hypnotic/anxiolytic use status (n,%) | |
 New (prescription is active and first prescribed ≤ 1 year ago) | 15 (7.5) |
 Sustained (prescription is active and first prescribed > 1 year ago) | 66 (33.0) |
 Past (prescription is inactive) | 117 (58.5) |
Medical conditions (n,%) | |
 Cardiovascular | 178 (89.0) |
 Mental health | 132 (66.0) |
 Endocrine | 71 (35.5) |
 Gastro-intestinal | 70 (35.0) |
 Musculoskeletal | 69 (34.5) |
 Genitourinary | 69 (34.5) |
 Hepatobiliary | 49 (24.5) |
 Respiratory | 35 (17.5) |
 Cancer | 35 (17.5) |
 Pain | 31 (15.5) |
 Infectious Disease | 19 (9.5) |
 Dermatological | 18 (9.0) |
 Neurology | 16 (8.0) |