Benzodiazepines Misuse: The Study Community Level Thailand

CONTEXT: Benzodiazepines (BZD) misuse, abuse, and dependence are becoming a new problem in medicine, in Thailand, and the pharmacoepidemiology knowledge is insufficient. The aim of this study is to estimate the prevalence of benzodiazepine use, misuse, abuse, and dependence in the general population of the Ubon Rachathani province, in Thailand. AIMS: To estimate the prevalence of benzodiazepine use, misuse, abuse, and dependence in the general population. SETTINGS AND DESIGN: The cross-sectional household survey research was conducted from October 2008 to June 2009, with a target population age of 15 years and above. This took place in Ubon Ratchathani Province, in Thailand. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A total sample size of 2280 were selected from three-stage stratified random sampling. BZD were identified with an accuracy of generic name, trade name, and drug characteristics. The DSM-IV questionnaire was used to define misuse, abuse, and dependence. The accuracy of dependence was interpreted with the help of the judgment of a psychiatric nurse. STATISTICAL ANALYSIS: For the statistical analyses, prevalence was estimated with weight adjustment, variances estimated by the Teylor Series Linearization method, and interpreted with 95% confidence interval (CI). RESULTS: There were 46,805 current users [3.9% (95% CI: 2.2–6.4)], 26,404 misusers [2.2% (95% CI: 1.6–6.2)], 7,203 abusers [0.6% (95% CI: 0.1 - 4.1)], and 2,402 with dependence [0.2% (0.1–9.2)]. When considering the group of current users in this study, 57.2% misusers, 16.6% abusers, and 5.9% with dependence were found, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: All prevalence of use was higher than previously reported, in Thailand, while more than half of the current users had a behavior of misuse. Surveillance of misuse should be undertaken in the current use. The medical professional should counsel the patient on the harm of misuse and limit the amount of medicine, with necessary dispensing.