Evidence map›Paper›PMID 37318697›Full record

ArticleCanadian journal of public health = Revue canadienne de sante publique2023

The epidemiology of benzodiazepine-related toxicity in Ontario, Canada: a population-based descriptive study.

Tonya J Campbell, Siyu Men, Dana Shearer, Terry Ebejer, Matt Joosse, Josephine Quercia, Jane Sanders, Mina Tadrous, Tony Antoniou, Tara Gomes and 1 more

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

Article in Canadian journal of public health = Revue canadienne de sante publique, 2023. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 4 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
4citing papers in PubMed
1.7field-weighted citation impact, top 16% 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

4 citing papers in PubMed, 6 citations in OpenAlex.

  1. Trial
  2. Article
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  4. Article
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

11 authors at 2 institutions in 2 countries.

Tonya J CampbellLi Ka Shing Knowledge Institute of St. Michael's Hospital, 30 Bond St., Toronto, ON, M5B 1W8, Canada.
Siyu MenICES, Toronto, ON, Canada.
Dana ShearerLi Ka Shing Knowledge Institute of St. Michael's Hospital, 30 Bond St., Toronto, ON, M5B 1W8, Canada.
Terry EbejerOntario Drug Policy Research Network Citizens' Panel, St. Michael's Hospital, Toronto, ON, Canada.
Matt JoosseOntario Drug Policy Research Network Citizens' Panel, St. Michael's Hospital, Toronto, ON, Canada.
Josephine QuerciaOntario Drug Policy Research Network Citizens' Panel, St. Michael's Hospital, Toronto, ON, Canada.
Jane SandersOntario Drug Policy Research Network Citizens' Panel, St. Michael's Hospital, Toronto, ON, Canada.
Mina TadrousICES, Toronto, ON, Canada.
Tony AntoniouLi Ka Shing Knowledge Institute of St. Michael's Hospital, 30 Bond St., Toronto, ON, M5B 1W8, Canada.
Tara GomesLi Ka Shing Knowledge Institute of St. Michael's Hospital, 30 Bond St., Toronto, ON, M5B 1W8, Canada. tara.gomes@unityhealth.to.ORCID 0000-0002-1468-1965
Ontario Drug Policy Research Network Citizens’ Panel
St. Michael's Hospital · CAUniversity of Toronto · CA

Funding

CIHR
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

objectivesDespite the widespread use of prescription benzodiazepines, there are few studies examining trends and patterns of benzodiazepine-related toxicity. We describe the epidemiology of benzodiazepine-related toxicity in Ontario, Canada.

methodsWe conducted a population-based, cross-sectional study of Ontario residents who had an emergency department visit or hospitalization for benzodiazepine-related toxicity between January 1, 2013 and December 31, 2020. We reported annual crude and age-standardized rates of benzodiazepine-related toxicity overall, by age, and by sex. In each year, we characterized the history of benzodiazepine and opioid prescribing among people who experienced benzodiazepine-related toxicity, and reported the percentage of encounters with opioid, alcohol, or stimulant co-involvement.

resultsBetween 2013 and 2020, there were 32,674 benzodiazepine-related toxicity encounters among 25,979 Ontarians. During this period, the crude rate of benzodiazepine-related toxicity declined overall, from 28.0 to 26.1 per 100,000 population (age-standardized rate: 27.8 to 26.4 per 100,000), but increased among young adults aged 19 to 24 (39.9 to 66.6 per 100,000 population). Moreover, by 2020, the percentage of encounters associated with active benzodiazepine prescriptions had declined to 48.9%, while the percentage of encounters that had opioid, stimulant, or alcohol co-involvement rose to 28.8%.

conclusionBenzodiazepine-related toxicity has declined in Ontario overall, but has increased among youth and young adults. Furthermore, there is growing co-involvement of opioids, stimulants, and alcohol, which may reflect the recent emergence of benzodiazepines in the unregulated drug supply. Multifaceted public health initiatives comprising harm reduction, mental health supports, and promotion of appropriate prescribing are needed to reduce benzodiazepine-related harm.

Indexed as

Analgesics, OpioidDrug OverdoseAdolescentBenzodiazepinesCross-Sectional StudiesEthanolHumansOntarioPractice Patterns, Physicians'Young AdultAnalgesics, OpioidBenzodiazepinesEthanolAdolescentBenzodiazepinesControlled substancesDrug overdoseHealth servicesYoung adult

Identifiers

PMID37318697
PMCPMC10267543
OpenAlexW4380729861

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.