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Administration and Policy in Mental Health and Mental Health Services Research

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01-03-2013 | Research - Practice Relationships

Patients’ and Physicians’ Characteristics Associated with the Purchase of Benzodiazepines by Older Primary Care Patients in Israel

Authors: Liat Ayalon, Revital Gross, Aviv Yaari, Elan Feldhamer, Ran D. Balicer, Margalit Goldfracht

Published in: Administration and Policy in Mental Health and Mental Health Services Research | Issue 2/2013

Abstract

This study evaluated patients’ and physicians’ characteristics associated with the purchase of benzodiazepines by older primary care patients in Israel. The analytic sample consists of those 6,421 patients age 65 and older. We used multi-level analysis with whether or not benzodiazepines were purchased at least once between June 2005 and 2007 as an outcome. We also evaluated patients’ and physicians’ characteristics associated with the purchase of benzodiazepines for 6 months or longer. Almost half the sample (41.5%) purchased benzodiazepines at least once during the study period and more than half (54.5%) of those purchasing benzodiazepines had a continued purchase for 6 months or longer. Physicians’ characteristics explained only a small portion of the variance associated with purchasing, whereas patients’ demographic and clinical characteristics were associated with purchasing. Any intervention to improve the use of benzodiazepines should be directed at both patients and physicians.

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Title: Patients’ and Physicians’ Characteristics Associated with the Purchase of Benzodiazepines by Older Primary Care Patients in Israel
Authors: Liat Ayalon
Revital Gross
Aviv Yaari
Elan Feldhamer
Ran D. Balicer
Margalit Goldfracht
Publication date: 01-03-2013
Publisher: Springer US
Published in: Administration and Policy in Mental Health and Mental Health Services Research / Issue 2/2013
Print ISSN: 0894-587X
Electronic ISSN: 1573-3289
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10488-011-0381-9

At a glance: The STEP trials

Springer Medicine

Patients’ and Physicians’ Characteristics Associated with the Purchase of Benzodiazepines by Older Primary Care Patients in Israel

Abstract

At a glance: The STEP trials

Springer Medicine

Abstract

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