Benzodiazepine use, quality of life and psychiatric symptom burden in oral and injectable opioid agonist treatment: a cross-sectional study
Abstract Background Use of benzodiazepines (BZD) in patients receiving opioid agonist treatment (OAT) is common and associated with a variety of negative health and social outcomes. This cross-sectional study investigates the impact of BZD use in OAT patients on their quality of life (QoL). Methods...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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BMC
2023-07-01
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| Series: | Addiction Science & Clinical Practice |
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| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1186/s13722-023-00397-8 |
| _version_ | 1797774018403631104 |
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| author | Maximilian Meyer Ferdinand Gygli Jean N. Westenberg Otto Schmid Johannes Strasser Undine E. Lang Kenneth M. Dürsteler Marc Vogel |
| author_facet | Maximilian Meyer Ferdinand Gygli Jean N. Westenberg Otto Schmid Johannes Strasser Undine E. Lang Kenneth M. Dürsteler Marc Vogel |
| author_sort | Maximilian Meyer |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract Background Use of benzodiazepines (BZD) in patients receiving opioid agonist treatment (OAT) is common and associated with a variety of negative health and social outcomes. This cross-sectional study investigates the impact of BZD use in OAT patients on their quality of life (QoL). Methods A convenience sample of patients receiving oral OAT or heroin-assisted treatment in two outpatient centres in Basel, Switzerland was investigated. Participants (n = 141) completed self-report questionnaires on psychiatric symptoms and psychological distress (The Symptom Checklist 27, SCL-27), depressive state (German version of the Center for Epidemiological Studies Depression Scale), quality of life (Lancashire Quality of Life Profile, LQOLP) and use of BZD and other drugs (self-report questionnaire). Substance use was assessed by urine toxicology testing. Results In bivariate analysis, total QoL scores were significantly lower for lifetime, current, and prolonged BZD users compared to participants without the respective use patterns. There was no significant relationship between BZD dose and QoL. In multivariable linear regression models controlling for psychiatric symptom load and depressive state, only lifetime use predicted lower QoL, whereas other BZD use patterns were not significantly associated. Conclusions The association of lower QoL and BZD use in OAT patients is strongly confounded by co-occurring depressive state and psychiatric symptoms. Careful diagnosis and treatment of co-occurring mental disorders in OAT is paramount to improve QoL in this patient population and may also help reduce BZD use. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-12T22:14:51Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-575018a490224433a9f30757619cfe80 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1940-0640 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-12T22:14:51Z |
| publishDate | 2023-07-01 |
| publisher | BMC |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Addiction Science & Clinical Practice |
| spelling | doaj.art-575018a490224433a9f30757619cfe802023-07-23T11:21:56ZengBMCAddiction Science & Clinical Practice1940-06402023-07-0118111010.1186/s13722-023-00397-8Benzodiazepine use, quality of life and psychiatric symptom burden in oral and injectable opioid agonist treatment: a cross-sectional studyMaximilian Meyer0Ferdinand Gygli1Jean N. Westenberg2Otto Schmid3Johannes Strasser4Undine E. Lang5Kenneth M. Dürsteler6Marc Vogel7University of Basel Psychiatric Clinics, University of BaselUniversity of Basel Psychiatric Clinics, University of BaselUniversity of Basel Psychiatric Clinics, University of BaselUniversity of Basel Psychiatric Clinics, University of BaselUniversity of Basel Psychiatric Clinics, University of BaselUniversity of Basel Psychiatric Clinics, University of BaselUniversity of Basel Psychiatric Clinics, University of BaselUniversity of Basel Psychiatric Clinics, University of BaselAbstract Background Use of benzodiazepines (BZD) in patients receiving opioid agonist treatment (OAT) is common and associated with a variety of negative health and social outcomes. This cross-sectional study investigates the impact of BZD use in OAT patients on their quality of life (QoL). Methods A convenience sample of patients receiving oral OAT or heroin-assisted treatment in two outpatient centres in Basel, Switzerland was investigated. Participants (n = 141) completed self-report questionnaires on psychiatric symptoms and psychological distress (The Symptom Checklist 27, SCL-27), depressive state (German version of the Center for Epidemiological Studies Depression Scale), quality of life (Lancashire Quality of Life Profile, LQOLP) and use of BZD and other drugs (self-report questionnaire). Substance use was assessed by urine toxicology testing. Results In bivariate analysis, total QoL scores were significantly lower for lifetime, current, and prolonged BZD users compared to participants without the respective use patterns. There was no significant relationship between BZD dose and QoL. In multivariable linear regression models controlling for psychiatric symptom load and depressive state, only lifetime use predicted lower QoL, whereas other BZD use patterns were not significantly associated. Conclusions The association of lower QoL and BZD use in OAT patients is strongly confounded by co-occurring depressive state and psychiatric symptoms. Careful diagnosis and treatment of co-occurring mental disorders in OAT is paramount to improve QoL in this patient population and may also help reduce BZD use.https://doi.org/10.1186/s13722-023-00397-8Opioid use disorderQuality of lifeMethadone maintenance treatmentHeroin-assisted treatmentSubstitution treatmentSedative |
| spellingShingle | Maximilian Meyer Ferdinand Gygli Jean N. Westenberg Otto Schmid Johannes Strasser Undine E. Lang Kenneth M. Dürsteler Marc Vogel Benzodiazepine use, quality of life and psychiatric symptom burden in oral and injectable opioid agonist treatment: a cross-sectional study Addiction Science & Clinical Practice Opioid use disorder Quality of life Methadone maintenance treatment Heroin-assisted treatment Substitution treatment Sedative |
| title | Benzodiazepine use, quality of life and psychiatric symptom burden in oral and injectable opioid agonist treatment: a cross-sectional study |
| title_full | Benzodiazepine use, quality of life and psychiatric symptom burden in oral and injectable opioid agonist treatment: a cross-sectional study |
| title_fullStr | Benzodiazepine use, quality of life and psychiatric symptom burden in oral and injectable opioid agonist treatment: a cross-sectional study |
| title_full_unstemmed | Benzodiazepine use, quality of life and psychiatric symptom burden in oral and injectable opioid agonist treatment: a cross-sectional study |
| title_short | Benzodiazepine use, quality of life and psychiatric symptom burden in oral and injectable opioid agonist treatment: a cross-sectional study |
| title_sort | benzodiazepine use quality of life and psychiatric symptom burden in oral and injectable opioid agonist treatment a cross sectional study |
| topic | Opioid use disorder Quality of life Methadone maintenance treatment Heroin-assisted treatment Substitution treatment Sedative |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1186/s13722-023-00397-8 |
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