Does misuse lead to a disorder? The misuse of prescription tranquilizer and sedative medications and subsequent substance use disorders in a U.S. longitudinal sample.
OBJECTIVES
We used two waves of National Epidemiologic Survey on Alcohol and Related Conditions (NESARC) data and examined whether the misuse of prescription tranquilizers or sedatives at Wave 1 was associated with either continued misuse, tranquilizer/sedative use disorder, or other substance use disorder (SUD) at Wave 2.


METHODS
Prospective data were analyzed from structured diagnostic interviews using the Alcohol Use disorders and Associated Disabilities Interview Schedule: DSM-IV Version (AUDADIS-DSM-IV). A nationally representative sample of 34,653 of U.S. adults, 18years or older at Wave 1 (2001-2002), were re-interviewed at Wave 2 (2004-2005). After applying the survey weights, the sample represented a population that was 52% female, 71% White, 12% Hispanic, 11% African American, 4% Asian and 2% Native American or other.


RESULTS
An estimated 79% of adults who engaged in tranquilizer or sedative misuse at Wave 1 had stopped using these drugs at Wave 2. Only a small percentage (4.3%) of misusers at Wave 1 had a tranquilizer or sedative use disorder at Wave 2. However, 45% (45.0%) of misusers at Wave 1 had at least one other SUD at Wave 2. Among those in remission from a sedative or tranquilizer use disorder at Wave 1, 4.8% had a tranquilizer or sedative use disorder while 34.7% had at least one other SUD at Wave 2.


CONCLUSIONS
Most adults who engaged in the misuse of prescription tranquilizers or sedatives ceased using within 3years; however, their prior misuse was associated with higher prevalence of having a SUD three years later.
['Boyd|C J|CJ|', 'West|B|B|', 'McCabe|S E|SE|']
D000293:Adolescent D000328:Adult D005260:Female D006801:Humans D006993:Hypnotics and Sedatives D008137:Longitudinal Studies D008297:Male D008875:Middle Aged D063487:Prescription Drug Misuse D015995:Prevalence D019966:Substance-Related Disorders D014149:Tranquilizing Agents D014481:United States D055815:Young Adult
Drug use disorders Prescription drug misuse Sedative medication misuse Substance abuse Tranquilizer medication misuse