Evidence map›Paper›PMID 34016128›Full record

ArticleHarm reduction journal2021

Relationship between benzodiazepine prescription, aggressive behavior, and behavioral disinhibition: a retrospective study in a Swiss prison.

Stéphanie Baggio, Vladan Starcevic, Patrick Heller, Karen Brändle, Irina Franke, Andreas Schneeberger, Anna Buadze, Alex Gamma, Roman Schleifer, Laurent Gétaz and 2 more

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

Article in Harm reduction journal, 2021. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
0citing papers in PubMed
0.4field-weighted citation impact, top 32% 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

0 citing papers in PubMed, 3 citations in OpenAlex.

No citing paper in PubMed yet.

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

12 authors at 6 institutions in 4 countries.

Stéphanie BaggioDivision of Prison Health, Geneva University Hospitals and University of Geneva, Chemin du Petit Bel Air 2, 1226, Thônex, Geneva, Switzerland. stephanie.baggio@hcuge.ch.ORCID 0000-0002-5347-5937
Vladan StarcevicFaculty of Medicine and Health, Sydney Medical School, Nepean Clinical School, Discipline of Psychiatry, University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia.
Patrick HellerDivision of Prison Health, Geneva University Hospitals and University of Geneva, Chemin du Petit Bel Air 2, 1226, Thônex, Geneva, Switzerland.
Karen BrändleDepartment of Forensic Psychiatry, Institute of Forensic Medicine, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland.
Irina FrankePsychiatrische Dienste Graubünden (PDGR), Chur, Switzerland.
Andreas SchneebergerPsychiatrische Dienste Graubünden (PDGR), Chur, Switzerland.
Anna BuadzeDepartment of Psychiatry, Psychotherapy and Psychosomatics, Psychiatric Hospital, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland.
Alex GammaDepartment of Forensic Psychiatry, Institute of Forensic Medicine, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland.
Roman SchleiferDepartment of Forensic Psychiatry, Institute of Forensic Medicine, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland.
Laurent GétazDivision of Prison Health, Geneva University Hospitals and University of Geneva, Chemin du Petit Bel Air 2, 1226, Thônex, Geneva, Switzerland.
Hans WolffDivision of Prison Health, Geneva University Hospitals and University of Geneva, Chemin du Petit Bel Air 2, 1226, Thônex, Geneva, Switzerland.
Michael LiebrenzDepartment of Forensic Psychiatry, Institute of Forensic Medicine, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland.
University of Bern · CHUniversity of Geneva · CHAlbert Einstein College of Medicine · USKantonsspital Graubünden · CHThe University of Sydney · AUUniversity of Zurich · CH

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundBenzodiazepines are commonly prescribed in prisons amidst the controversies surrounding their potential role in causing behavioral disinhibition and aggressive behavior and their association with use and trafficking of illicit and addictive substances. The present study aimed to (1) ascertain the relationship between benzodiazepine prescription (including their dosage and duration of use) and aggressive behavior and behavioral disinhibition in prison and (2) investigate whether there was an association between benzodiazepine prescription, (including their dosage and duration of use) and using and trafficking illicit and addictive substances during imprisonment.

methodsData were extracted from the electronic database of an "open" Swiss prison (n = 1206, 1379 measures) over a 5-year period (2010-2015). Measures included benzodiazepine prescription, duration of benzodiazepine use and mean dosage, and punishable behaviors (physical and verbal aggression, disinhibited but not directly aggressive behaviors, property damage or theft, substance-related offenses, and rule transgression). We assessed the relationship between benzodiazepine prescription and punishable behaviors after propensity score matching. Logistic regressions were also used to test the relationship of benzodiazepine use duration and dosage with punishable behaviors among participants who received benzodiazepines.

resultsAfter propensity score matching, benzodiazepine prescription was not significantly associated with any punishable behavior. Among detained persons who took benzodiazepines, there was no significant association of dosage and duration of use with offenses involving illicit or addictive substance use or trafficking.

conclusionsOur study did not empirically support the occurrence of increased aggressive or disinhibited behaviors or increased risk of substance abuse in detained persons who received benzodiazepines in prison. This suggests a need to reconsider restrictions in prescribing benzodiazepines in the prison setting.

Indexed as

BenzodiazepinesPrisonsAggressionHumansPrescriptionsRetrospective StudiesSwitzerlandBenzodiazepinesBenzodiazepineDrug prescriptionHealth carePrison

Identifiers

PMID34016128
PMCPMC8139037
OpenAlexW3108623351

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY
Read underepoch 390

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.