Table 1

Initiation of Benzodiazepine Treatment Among Patients With Incident Diagnoses of Anxiety or Sleeping Disorder

AnxietySleeping Disorder
2008200920082009
CharacteristicDiagnoses No.Benzodiazepine Prescribed No. (%)Diagnoses No.Benzodiazepine Prescribed No. (%)Diagnoses No.Benzodiazepine Prescribed No. (%)Diagnoses No.Benzodiazepine Prescribed No. (%)
Overall3,7691,270 (33.7)3,7101,116 (30.1)a3,2542,181 (67.0)2,8631,691 (59.1)a
Sex,
 Men1,205410 (34.0)1,209359 (29.7)a1,171709 (60.5)1,048551 (52.6)a
 Women2,564860 (33.5)2,501757 (30.3)a2,0831,472 (70.7)1,8151,140 (62.8)a
Age, y,
 18 –441,721419 (24.3)1,716378 (22.0)1,025639 (62.3)836442 (52.9)a
 45–651,418566 (39.9)1,330471 (35.4)a1,399969 (69.3)1,222750 (61.4)a
 66 –75331161 (48.6)358151 (42.2)419296 (70.6)380238 (62.6)a
  >75293124 (42.3)306116 (37.9)411277 (67.4)425261 (61.3)
  • a Statistically significant at P <.05 for 2008 vs 2009.