Patterns of non-medical use of benzodiazepines and Z-Drugs among adolescents and young adults: gender differences and related factors

Figures & data

Figure 1. Prevalence of total consumption and non-medical use of Benzodiazepine and Z-hypnotics in young adults EDADES Survey 2015–2016

* Consumption of benzodiazepines and Z-drugs with or without prescription

Table 1. Prevalence of non-medical use of BZD and Z-drugs, according to sociodemographic variables, use of licit and illicit psychoactive drugs and variables related to perceived health risk, perceived availability. EDADES Survey 2015–2016

	Male	Female	Both Genders
	% (n)	% (n)	% (n)	p-value*
Age
15–18 years	0.28 (2)	0.80 (4)	0.53 (6)	.20
19–34 years	1.13 (37)	2.02 (65)	1.57 (103)	.00
Nationality
Immigrants	1.24 (6)	2.27 (12)	1.78 (29)	.22
Spanish	0.97 (33)	1.78 (57)	1.36 (90)	.00
Occupational status
Employed	1.09 (19)	1.96 (30)	1.49 (49)	.04
Unemployed	1.52 (12)	2.81 (18)	2.08 (30)	.08
Inactive	0.62 (7)	1.49 (22)	1.11 (29)	.04
Educational level
Primary school	1.10 (5)	0.87 (3)	1.00 (8)	.72
Secondary school	0.82 (23)	1.90 (49)	1.34 (72)	.00
Higher education	1.80 (11)	2.10 (17)	1.97 (28)	.68
Alcohol use in the past 12 months
No	1.06 (7)	1.11 (11)	1.09 (18)	.93
Yes	0.99 (32)	2.11(59)	1.51 (90)	.00
Any cigarette smoking in the past 12 months
No	0.80 (17)	1.03 (25)	0.92 (42)	.39
Yes	1.27 (21)	3.30 (45)	2.17 (66)	.00
Any marijuana use in the past 12 months
No	0.82 (25)	1.73 (58)	1.30 (83)	.00
Yes	1.64 (14)	2.81 (11)	2.00 (26)	.18
Any illicit psychoactive drug use other than marijuana in the last 12 months
No	0.82 (30)	1.71(63)	1.27 (93)	.00
Yes	3.67 (9)	7.40 (7)	4.67 (16)	.17
Perceived health risk for consumption of BZD and Z-hypnotics
No/few problems	1.63 (25)	3.69 (54)	2.64 (79)	.00
Quite a few/many problems	0.59 (14)	0.66 (15)	0.63 (29)	.74
Perceived availability of BZD and Z-hypnotics
Impossible/very difficult to obtain	0.81 (15)	1.01 (19)	0.91 (34)	.53
Easy/very easy to obtain	1.19 (24)	2.68 (50)	1.91 (74)	.00
Self-assessment of health status
Very good/Good	0.88 (33)	1.77 (64)	1.32 (96)	. 71
Fair/Poor/Very poor	3.90 (6)	3.27 (6)	3.57 (12)	. 00
TOTAL MISUSE	1.00(39)	1.84 (70)	1.42 (109)	.00

* Statistically significant differences on analyzing prevalence of non-medical use between young men and women (p < 0.05)

Table 2. Multivariable logistic regression of non-medical use of Benzodiazepine and Z-Drugs among young adults population in Spain. EDADES Survey 2015–2016

	OR	CI 95%	aOR	CI95%
Sex
Male	1	-	1	-
Female	1,85	(1,24–2,76)	2,21	(1,45–3,35)
Age
15–18 years	1	-	1	-
19–34 years	3.00	(1.17–7.70)	1.05	(1.01–1.08)
Any cigarette smoking in the last 12 months
No	1	-	1	-
Yes	2.38	(1.60–3.55)	1.84	(1.21–2.81)
Any illicit psychoactive drug use other than marijuana in the last 12 months
No	1	-	1	-
Yes	3.81	(2.18–6.66)	3.02	(1.70–5.36)
Perceived health risk for consumption of BZD and Z-hypnotics
Quite a few/many problems	1	-	1	-
No/few problems	4.29	(2.82–6.53)	3.88	(2.53–5.93)
Perceived availability of BZD and Z-hypnotics
Impossible/very difficult to obtain	1	-	1	-
Easy/very easy to obtain	2.12	(1.39–3.23)		n.s.
Self-assessment of health status
Very good/Good	1	-	1	-
Fair/Poor/Very poor	2.77	(1.64–4.68)	2.21	(1.30–3.76)

OR = odds ratio; aOR = adjusted OR; CI = confidence interval. n.s.: non-significant association