A survey assessing current benzodiazepine prescribing patterns and factors influencing benzodiazepine prescribing by Newfoundland and Labrador physicians

Abstract

The Health Transition Fund report (Kennedy & Goyer, 2002) indicated that prescribing practices for benzodiazepines (BZDs) are frequently inappropriate, but more difficult to influence than others. The inappropriate benzodiazepine (BZD) prescriptions and the inability to influence prescription behavior through educational means provides justification for further study to understand the underlying factors associated with prescriptions. A survey of physicians can help objectify the variable(s) that play role(s) in the prescription of BZDs. For this thesis, a self-administered cross-sectional survey was conducted among the physicians in Newfoundland and Labrador in 2007 to assess the prescribing patterns of BZDs and variables influencing them. Response rate was 30.68% (n= 297) of which 78.48% (n = 233) prescribed BZDs. The BZD prescribing patterns and factors affecting them were significantly influenced by demographic variables of the respondents; these findings may be used to develop physician education tools that may help to optimize the BZD prescribing patterns.