Table 2. Characteristics of People Who Were Dispensed Alprazolam During 1-Year Periods Before the Intervention and After the Intervention.
| Characteristic | No. (%) | Age- and Sex-Adjusted Risk Difference, % (95% CI) | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Preintervention Cohorta (n = 4212) | Postintervention Cohortb (n = 2419) | ||
| Age, median (IQR), y | 55 (41-68) | 58 (44-71) | NA |
| Sex | |||
| Men | 1586 (37.7) | 858 (35.5) | −1.6 (−3.3 to 0.1) |
| Women | 2626 (62.4) | 1561 (64.5) | 1.6 (−0.1 to 3.3) |
| Alprazolam-naivec | |||
| Yes | 1124 (26.7) | 587 (24.3) | −0.1 (−3.0 to 1.0) |
| No | 3088 (73.3) | 1832 (75.7) | 0.1 (−1.0 to 3.0) |
| Dispensings, No. | |||
| 1 | 1122 (26.6) | 791 (32.7) | 7.2 (5.1 to 9.3) |
| 2-4 | 1015 (24.1) | 670 (27.7) | 3.5 (1.4 to 5.5) |
| 5-9 | 1136 (27.0) | 640 (26.5) | −1.2 (−3.3 to 0.8) |
| ≥10 | 939 (22.2) | 318 (13.2) | −9.4 (−11.0 to −7.9) |
| Maximum tablet strength dispensed, mg | |||
| 0.25 | 675 (16.0) | 339 (14.0) | −2.3 (−3.7 to −0.8) |
| 0.5 | 1215 (28.9) | 847 (35.0) | 5.6 (3.8 to 7.4) |
| 1 | 1355 (32.2) | 1233 (51.0) | 18.8 (16.8 to 20.8) |
| 2 | 967 (23.0) | 0 | NA |
| Total tablets dispensed, No. | |||
| ≤50 | 1065 (25.3) | 620 (25.6) | 1.9 (−0.3 to 3.6) |
| 51-200 | 974 (23.1) | 654 (27.0) | 3.9 (1.8 to 5.9) |
| 201-500 | 1016 (24.1) | 562 (23.2) | −1.5 (−3.4 to 0.4) |
| >500 | 1157 (27.4) | 583 (24.1) | −3.7 (−5.4 to −2.0) |
| Total combined tablet strength, mg | |||
| ≤50 | 1275 (30.3) | 850 (35.1) | 5.4 (3.3 to 7.5) |
| 51-200 | 1063 (25.2) | 668 (27.6) | 1.9 (−0.1 to 3.9) |
| 201-500 | 774 (18.4) | 471 (19.5) | 0.8 (−0.9 to 2.5) |
| >500 | 1100 (26.1) | 430 (17.8) | −7.9 (−9.5 to −6.4) |
| Other medications dispensed | |||
| Other benzodiazepines | 1548 (36.8) | 846 (35.0) | −0.6 (−2.7 to 1.4) |
| Antipsychotics | 781 (18.5) | 458 (18.9) | 0.8 (−0.7 to 2.6) |
| Antidepressants | 2860 (67.9) | 1670 (69.0) | 1.1 (−0.7 to 3.0) |
| Gabapentinoids | 521 (12.4) | 328 (13.6) | 0.9 (−0.5 to 2.3) |
| Opioids | 1769 (42.0) | 1065 (44.0) | 2.0 (−0.2 to 4.1) |
Abbreviations: IQR, interquartile range, NA, not applicable.
a
Includes 10% sample of people who were dispensed alprazolam subsidized by Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme from November 1, 2015 to October 31, 2016.
b
Includes 10% sample of people who were dispensed alprazolam subsidized by Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme from August 1, 2017, to July 31, 2018.
c
Defined as not having received an alprazolam prescription in the past 730 days.