R Kathryn McHugh1, Victoria R Votaw2, Nadine R Taghian3, Margaret L Griffin4, Roger D Weiss4. 1. Division of Alcohol and Drug Abuse, McLean Hospital, 115 Mill Street, Belmont, MA 02478, United States of America; Department of Psychiatry, Harvard Medical School, 25 Shattuck Street, Boston, MA 02115, United States of America. Electronic address: kmchugh@mclean.harvard.edu. 2. Department of Psychology, University of New Mexico, 1 University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, NM 87131, United States of America. 3. Division of Alcohol and Drug Abuse, McLean Hospital, 115 Mill Street, Belmont, MA 02478, United States of America. 4. Division of Alcohol and Drug Abuse, McLean Hospital, 115 Mill Street, Belmont, MA 02478, United States of America; Department of Psychiatry, Harvard Medical School, 25 Shattuck Street, Boston, MA 02115, United States of America.
Abstract
OBJECTIVE: Benzodiazepines are among the most commonly misused drugs. Despite the known risks of combining benzodiazepines and alcohol, little is known about misuse among people with alcohol use disorder (AUD). Our aim was to characterize the prevalence, correlates, and patterns of misuse of benzodiazepines in adults with AUD. METHOD: Adults receiving treatment for AUD (N = 258) completed a battery of questionnaires. We used descriptive statistics to characterize the prevalence and patterns of misuse and we used logistic regression models to identify correlates of misuse. RESULTS: Almost half of the sample reported a history of benzodiazepine prescription and 30% reported a history of misuse. Younger age, female sex, anxiety, and other substance use were associated with misuse. Coping was the most commonly reported reason for misuse. All participants who had misused a benzodiazepine in the past year used concurrently with another substance. CONCLUSIONS: Benzodiazepine misuse was common in this study, and risky patterns of use, such a co-use with other substances, were prevalent. Coping was the most common reason for misusing benzodiazepines, suggesting that un- or under-treated psychiatric symptoms may contribute to misuse.
OBJECTIVE:Benzodiazepines are among the most commonly misused drugs. Despite the known risks of combining benzodiazepines and alcohol, little is known about misuse among people with alcohol use disorder (AUD). Our aim was to characterize the prevalence, correlates, and patterns of misuse of benzodiazepines in adults with AUD. METHOD: Adults receiving treatment for AUD (N = 258) completed a battery of questionnaires. We used descriptive statistics to characterize the prevalence and patterns of misuse and we used logistic regression models to identify correlates of misuse. RESULTS: Almost half of the sample reported a history of benzodiazepine prescription and 30% reported a history of misuse. Younger age, female sex, anxiety, and other substance use were associated with misuse. Coping was the most commonly reported reason for misuse. All participants who had misused a benzodiazepine in the past year used concurrently with another substance. CONCLUSIONS:Benzodiazepine misuse was common in this study, and risky patterns of use, such a co-use with other substances, were prevalent. Coping was the most common reason for misusing benzodiazepines, suggesting that un- or under-treated psychiatric symptoms may contribute to misuse.
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