Prescription Tranquilizer/Sedative Sources for Misuse in Older Adults

Background: Older adult prescription tranquilizer/sedative misuse is understudied, despite evidence of increased misuse prevalence and significant associated consequences (e.g., suicidal ideation). Identification of misuse sources could limit such misuse by offering policymakers and clinicians targe...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Substance use & misuse 2019-09, Vol.54 (11), p.1908-1912
Main Authors: Schepis, Ty S., McCabe, Sean Esteban
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Adult abuse & neglect
Adults
Age Factors
Aged
benzodiazepine
Drug abuse
Drugs
Female
Friendship
Humans
Hypnotics and Sedatives - adverse effects
Male
Mental health services
Middle Aged
misuse
older adult
Older people
Opioid-Related Disorders - epidemiology
Opioids
Physicians
Policy making
Polls & surveys
Prescription Drug Misuse - statistics & numerical data
Prevalence
Psychiatric symptoms
Psychiatry
Psychological distress
sedative
Sedative drugs
Sedatives
source
Suicidal ideation
Suicide
Symptoms
Tranquilizer
Tranquilizers
Tranquilizing Agents - adverse effects
Tranquilizing drugs
Tranquillizers
United States - epidemiology
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Summary:Background: Older adult prescription tranquilizer/sedative misuse is understudied, despite evidence of increased misuse prevalence and significant associated consequences (e.g., suicidal ideation). Identification of misuse sources could limit such misuse by offering policymakers and clinicians targets to limit diverted tranquilizer/sedative medication. Objective: To establish the prevalence of tranquilizer/sedative misuse sources in older adults and investigate associated poor outcomes. Methods: Data were from the 2009-14 National Survey on Drug Use and Health, including participants endorsing one or more past-month tranquilizer/sedative misuse sources (n = 3,162) with older adult (50-64 and 65 and older; n =160) tranquilizer/sedative source prevalence estimated and compared to younger cohorts. Results: Adults 65 and older had the greatest physician source use (38.2%) across ages. Physician source use in those 50 and older, relative to those obtaining medication from friends/family for free, was linked to a higher prevalence of both past-year prescription opioid misuse (58.6% versus 34.9%) and serious psychological distress (50.1% versus 11.6%). Conclusions/Importance: Physician source use is particularly prevalent in adults 65 and older, and adults 50 and older using physician sources appear at elevated risk of consequences. Careful monitoring of psychiatric symptoms in older adults receiving tranquilizers/sedatives appears warranted. Older adults use a unique pattern of tranquilizer/sedative misuse sources, as compared to younger groups, further signaling that older adult misuse processes differ from those in younger groups.
ISSN:1082-6084
1532-2491
DOI:10.1080/10826084.2019.1613434