Entidad Financiadora: Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red – Instituto de Salud Carlos III – CIBERESP.

Financiación: 45.500 euros.

Duración: 2021-2023

Instituciones Participantes: Fundació Sant Joan de Déu y Universidad Miguel Hernández de Elche.

Resumen: The use of benzodiazepines in the Spanish population was high before 2020. Previous studies show prevalence of use around 15% of the total population and more than 35% in those older than 65 years old. In addition, one of every four poly-medicated patients are users of benzodiazepines.  These figures place benzodiazepines as one of the most used medication groups. This situation is not only observed in Spain but worldwide. Main objetives: To estimate the proportion of newly prescribed benzodiazepine patients that become long-term users (12+ weeks) before and during the different stages of the COVID-19 pandemic. To determine how the pandemic period, healthcare interactions and the patients’ socio-demographic or clinical characteristics influence the proportion of newly prescribed benzodiazepine patients that become long-term users (12+ weeks).