Temporal trends of the utilization patterns of sedative-hypnotic medications in children, adolescents and young adults: a 21-year population-based study with joinpoint regression analysis.

ABSTRACT:

Background

There is limited research on real-world utilization patterns of benzodiazepines and Z-drugs (collectively-termed benzodiazepine-receptor agonists [BZRAs]) in children and adolescents, particularly in non-western countries. We aimed to examine temporal trends of BZRA prescribing-practice among children, adolescents and young adults in Hong Kong over a 21-year period.

Methods

This population-based study identified 60,660 individuals aged 4-24 years who had redeemed ≥ 1 BZRA prescription within 2000-2020, using data from medical-record database of Hong Kong public-healthcare-services. We calculated annual prescription prevalence (per 1,000 persons per year) for any BZRA, BZRA-subtypes (short- and long-acting benzodiazepines, Z-drugs) and individual BZRAs. Joinpoint-r

SUBMITTER: Kwok CCT 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC11796107 | biostudies-literature | 2025 Feb

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature