{"id":16103,"date":"2023-06-16T13:28:13","date_gmt":"2023-06-16T17:28:13","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.ices.on.ca\/?post_type=news_release&p=16103"},"modified":"2023-06-16T13:28:14","modified_gmt":"2023-06-16T17:28:14","slug":"rising-rates-of-benzodiazepine-toxicity-among-young-people-spark-concern","status":"publish","type":"news_release","link":"https:\/\/www.ices.on.ca\/fr\/news-releases\/rising-rates-of-benzodiazepine-toxicity-among-young-people-spark-concern\/","title":{"rendered":"Rising rates of benzodiazepine toxicity among young people spark concern"},"content":{"rendered":"

Toronto, ON, June 15, 2023<\/strong> \u2013 The rate of hospital encounters for benzodiazepine-related toxicity rose by 67 per cent for young adults (aged 19 to 24) and 44 per cent for youth (aged 18 or below) in Ontario between 2013 and 2020, according to a new study from ICES<\/strong> and Unity Health Toronto<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

Though there was an overall decline of 7 per cent in the provincial rate of benzodiazepine toxicity, this was largely driven by reductions in rates among people aged 35 years and older.<\/p>\n

Benzodiazepines are commonly prescribed to treat anxiety and insomnia, but in recent years they have also emerged in the unregulated and illicit opioid drug supply.<\/p>\n

The study was published in the Canadian Journal of Public Health<\/em><\/a> and facilitated by researchers at the Ontario Drug Policy Research Network (ODPRN), housed at St. Michael\u2019s Hospital, a site of Unity Health Toronto. A Citizens\u2019 Panel made up of 25 volunteer citizens identified the topic as being of interest to the public and was involved in all steps of the research process.<\/p>\n

\u201cAs a member of the ODPRN Citizens\u2019 Panel, we were initially drawn to the gap in information about benzodiazepine toxicity specifically relating to the youth and young adult population,\u201d says panel member Josephine Quercia. \u201cOutside of the older adult population, studies were nonexistent specific to the younger age group. Our interest was further peaked by the significant increase in prescribing rates among this younger population and especially among the female population within this segment. What initially started as a potentially positive outcome with the \u20187 percent reduction in the provincial rate of benzodiazepine toxicity between 2013 \u2013 2020\u2019, once unpacked, pivoted quickly to a very different outcome \u2013 one where focus is needed on reducing the risks to our youth and young adult population.\u201d<\/p>\n

The study included 25,979 Ontario residents with 32,674 benzodiazepine-related toxicity encounters (emergency department visits or hospitalization) between January 1, 2013, and December 31, 2020. The researchers also examined the participants\u2019 history of opioid and benzodiazepine prescriptions, and prior healthcare visits for mental health and substance use disorders.<\/p>\n

\u201cImportantly, we also found that fewer encounters were with patients who had an active prescription for benzodiazepines\u2014however, there was greater involvement of other substances, such as opioids, stimulants, and alcohol, with rates of those incidents reaching almost 30 per cent in 2020,\u201d says lead author Tonya Campbell, senior research coordinator at St. Michael\u2019s Hospital. \u201cThis is likely driven by the increasing presence of non-pharmaceutical benzodiazepines in the unregulated drug supply in Ontario.\u201d<\/p>\n

Study findings show:<\/p>\n