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Assessment of Benzodiazepine (BZD) Use Among Nursing Home Residents by Liquid Chromatography-Tandem Mass Spectrometry, Nursing Questionnaires, and Examining Additional Mental Health Problems of BZD Users

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Abstract

This study aimed at evaluating the extent of benzodiazepine (BZD) consumption among nursing home residents and examining additional mental health problems. Urine samples were collected in nursing homes in a border region between Austria and Germany and analyzed for BZD using a liquid chromatographic-tandem mass spectrometric method (LC–MS/MS). In addition, a questionnaire was applied to the residents including the ICD-10 symptom rating scale; nursing staff filled out a further questionnaire on residents’ consumption of addictive drugs. Of 301 urine samples collected in 33 nursing homes, 103 (34.2%) were BZD positive. BZD users showed significantly higher values for depression and anxiety. Nursing staff reported consumption of addictive drugs in 29 (37.2% of BZD positives) with almost entirely BZD use. In nearly 4% of BZD users, nursing staff indicated drug abuse/dependence. BZD use appears to be rather common in nursing homes and nurses apparently do not recognize the addictive potential of BZD sufficiently. Interventions should aim at a reduction of BZD prescriptions by sensitizing primary care physicians and nursing staff.

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Acknowledgements

We would also like to thank the staff and residents of all nursing homes for their participation in this project.

Funding

The authors gratefully acknowledge the funding provided by the European Regional Development Fund (Europäischer Fonds für regionale Entwicklung – EFRE). Furthermore, the Bavarian State Ministry of the Environment and Public Health, the Caritas Bad Reichenhall, and the Salzburg State Hospital provided financial support.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Psychosomatic Medicine and Psychotherapy, Medical Park Chiemseeblick, Bernau-Felden, Germany

    Monika Dreher-Weber

  2. Department of Psychology, University of Salzburg, Salzburg, Austria

    Anton-Rupert Laireiter & Anton Kühberger

  3. Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Christian-Doppler-Hospital, Paracelsus Private Medical University, Salzburg, Austria

    Isabella Kunz

  4. Institute of Forensic Medicine, Department of Forensic Toxicology, University Medical Center Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany

    Laura Huppertz & Volker Auwärter

  5. Caritas Center Bad Reichenhall, Bad Reichenhall, Germany

    Rainer Hoffmann & Siegfried Lang

  6. Caritas Center Freilassing, Freilassing, Germany

    Verena Schmidt

  7. Medical Faculty, University of Basel, Basel, Germany

    Friedrich M. Wurst

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  1. Monika Dreher-Weber
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  2. Anton-Rupert Laireiter
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  9. Siegfried Lang
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  10. Friedrich M. Wurst
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Correspondence to Monika Dreher-Weber.

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Dreher-Weber, M., Laireiter, AR., Kühberger, A. et al. Assessment of Benzodiazepine (BZD) Use Among Nursing Home Residents by Liquid Chromatography-Tandem Mass Spectrometry, Nursing Questionnaires, and Examining Additional Mental Health Problems of BZD Users. Int J Ment Health Addiction 21, 1713–1726 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11469-021-00685-x

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