Evidence map›Paper›PMID 29656692›Full record

Observational studyScandinavian journal of primary health care2018

General practitioners' prescriptions of benzodiazepines, Z-hypnotics and opioid analgesics for elderly patients during direct and indirect contacts. A cross-sectional, observational study.

Anne Cathrine Sundseth, Svein Gjelstad, Jorund Straand, Elin O Rosvold

Open access · goldAbstract readObservational Study
PubMed Full text at PMC Publisher
In one paragraph

Observational study in Scandinavian journal of primary health care, 2018. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 11 papers, 1 of them a synthesis that pooled it.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
11citing papers in PubMed, 1 pooled it
1.2field-weighted citation impact, top 23% of its field
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

11 citing papers in PubMed, 1 synthesis or guideline pooled it, 20 citations in OpenAlex.

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4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

4 authors at 1 institution in 1 country.

Anne Cathrine Sundsetha Department of General Practice , Institute of Health and Society, University of Oslo , Oslo , Norway.
Svein Gjelstada Department of General Practice , Institute of Health and Society, University of Oslo , Oslo , Norway.
Jorund Straanda Department of General Practice , Institute of Health and Society, University of Oslo , Oslo , Norway.
Elin O Rosvolda Department of General Practice , Institute of Health and Society, University of Oslo , Oslo , Norway.
University of Oslo · NO

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

objectiveTo describe Norwegian general practitioners' (GPs') prescription patterns of benzodiazepines, Z-hypnotics and opioid analgesics (BZO-drugs) to elderly (≥70 years) patients. DESIGN, SUBJECTS AND

settingCross sectional, observational study. Contact- and prescription data from 148 Norwegian GPs, issued for elderly patients during eight months in 2008. GP-patient contacts were categorized as direct contacts (DC: face-to-face consultations) or indirect contacts (IC: via third party, phone or mail). Explanatory variables were characteristics linked to the GPs, patients, and practices. During analyses, GPs' number of listed patients, share of which for elderly patients, and total number of patient consultations during the period (proxy for practice activity), were categorized in quintiles (Q1-5) by number of GPs.

main outcome measuresNumber of BZO-drug prescriptions and quantities issued during direct- and indirect GP-patient contacts.

resultsIn total, 62% of BZO-prescriptions were issued during ICs. Of all prescriptions, 66% were large quantum packages (50 tablets or more), 62% out of which were prescribed during ICs. During the study period, 50% of the patients received repeat prescriptions. Prescribing during ICs was associated with low over all practice activity (Q1) and many (Q5) older patients on the GP's lists.

conclusionGPs' BZO-drug prescribing to elderly occur more frequently during ICs than within DCs, and are more commonly issued as large quantity packages. This indicates that regular- or long-term use among elderly is common, contrasting with previous and current national guidelines, which recommend regular clinical assessments and short time or intermittent use of BZO-drugs. Key Points GPs frequently prescribe benzodiazepines, Z-hypnotics and opioid (BZO) drugs for elderly people. BZO-drugs are frequently issued during indirect GP-patient contacts and in relatively large quantities, indicating regular or long-term use. GPs' BZO-drug prescribing patterns contrast with national guidelines recommending clinical assessment and short time or intermittent use of BZO-drugs.

Indexed as

Drug PrescriptionsGeneral PractitionersPractice Patterns, Physicians'AgedAged, 80 and overAnalgesics, OpioidBenzodiazepinesCross-Sectional StudiesDrug UtilizationFemaleGeneral PracticeGuideline AdherenceHealth Services for the AgedHumansHypnotics and SedativesMaleAnalgesics, OpioidBenzodiazepinesHypnotics and Sedativesanalgesicsanxiolyticsconsultationdirect and indirect patient contactselderlyGeneral practicehypnoticsprescriptions

Identifiers

PMID29656692
PMCPMC6066290
OpenAlexW2796638663

What OpenQuestion holds

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LicenceCC BY-NC
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Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.