1. Z-Drug Use and Benzodiazepine Use and Misuse Among LGB Populations: The Role of Psychological Distress.
- Author
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Tardelli VS, Fidalgo TM, and Martins SS
- Subjects
- Humans, Male, Female, Adult, Middle Aged, Young Adult, United States epidemiology, Adolescent, Prevalence, Azabicyclo Compounds, Substance-Related Disorders epidemiology, Prescription Drug Misuse statistics & numerical data, Acetamides, Pyrimidines, Benzodiazepines adverse effects, Sexual and Gender Minorities statistics & numerical data, Sexual and Gender Minorities psychology, Hypnotics and Sedatives, Zolpidem, Psychological Distress, Piperazines
- Abstract
Background: Z-drugs (hypnotics such as zolpidem, zopiclone, and zaleplon) and benzodiazepines (BZDs) are sedative medications with misuse liability. The goals of this study are to report the (1) prevalence of past-year any Z-drug use, any BZD use, and any BZD misuse by sexual identity category and psychological distress; (2) associations among these 3 categories between sexual identity and past-year psychological distress; (3) associations among these 3 categories with sexual identity by past-year psychological distress status., Methods: Data were collected from the National Survey on Drug Use and Health (years 2015-2019 [n = 210,392]), a yearly representative national household survey of the American population. We report prevalences of any Z-drug use, any BZD use, and any BZD misuse by sexual identity and past-year psychological distress status. We ran logistic regressions with complex survey design with the 3 dichotomous variables described above as the dependent variables, stratified and not-stratified by psychological distress., Results: Prevalence of any Z-drug an BZD use and any BZD misuse were higher among LGB (lesbian/gay/bisexual) populations, especially gay men and bisexual women. Psychological distress was positively associated with any Z-drug and BZD use and any BZD misuse. Women were at higher risk of Z-drug (odds ratio [OR], 1.27; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.18-1.37) and BZD use (OR, 1.64; 95% CI, 1.55-1.73), but lower risk of BZD misuse (OR, 0.82; 95% CI, 0.76-0.88). When stratifying by psychological distress, differences between LGB and heterosexuals were more pronounced among those without past-year psychological distress, especially gay men and bisexual women., Conclusions: The presence of psychological distress attenuates the disparities between LGB and heterosexual individuals in Z-drug use and BZD use and misuse., Competing Interests: The authors report no conflicts of interest., (Copyright © 2024 American Society of Addiction Medicine.)
- Published
- 2024
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