Recent Decades Saw Rise in Sedative, Hypnotic, Anxiolytic Use Disorders
By Lori Solomon HealthDay Reporter
FRIDAY, Jan. 24, 2025 -- Diagnoses of sedative, hypnotic, or anxiolytic use disorders (SHA-UD) increased threefold to fivefold between 2001 and 2019 for adolescent and young adult U.S. Medicaid enrollees, according to a study published online Jan. 22 in Addiction.
Greta Bushnell, Ph.D., M.S.P.H., from the Rutgers Institute for Health in New Brunswick, New Jersey, and colleagues measured trends in the prevalence of SHA-UD diagnoses in adolescent (ages 13 to 17 years) and young adult (ages 18 to 29 years) U.S. Medicaid enrollees (2001 to 2019). The analysis included 5.7 (2001) to 13.2 (2019) million persons per year.
The researchers found that the prevalence of SHA-UD diagnoses significantly increased for adolescents (0.01 to 0.04 percent) and young adults (0.05 to 0.24 percent) over time. Across sex and race/ethnicity subgroups, increases were seen, with the greatest relative increases among non-Hispanic Black (624 percent) and Hispanic (529 percent) young adults. Increases in SHA-UD diagnoses were seen among those with and without a benzodiazepine, z-hypnotic, or barbiturate prescription (0.39 to 1.77 percent for young adults with a prescription; 0.03 to 0.18 percent for young adults without a prescription). Comorbid substance use disorder was seen in the majority of adolescents (76 percent) and young adults (91 percent) with an SHA-UD diagnosis in 2019.
"The increase over two decades may be attributed to changes in the availability, use, and misuse of sedative, hypnotic, and anxiolytic medications and to increased detection, awareness, and diagnosing of SHA-UD," the authors write.
Two authors disclosed testifying as an expert witness in litigation, and one author disclosed ties to the pharmaceutical industry.
Disclaimer: Statistical data in medical articles provide general trends and do not pertain to individuals. Individual factors can vary greatly. Always seek personalized medical advice for individual healthcare decisions.
© 2025 HealthDay. All rights reserved.
Posted January 2025
Read this next
Telehealth Intervention Beneficial for Seniors With Metastatic Cancer
WEDNESDAY, June 25, 2025 -- The telehealth-administered Geriatric Assessment–Guided Intervention (GAIN-S) improves physical function, mood, quality of life, and prognostic...
Paternal Mental Distress Linked to Poorer Offspring Development
WEDNESDAY, June 25, 2025 -- Paternal mental distress is associated with poorer child development, according to a study published online June 16 in JAMA Pediatrics. Genevieve Le...
Self-Esteem Scores Soar One Year After Metabolic, Bariatric Surgery
TUESDAY, June 24, 2025 -- Self-esteem scores increase after metabolic and bariatric surgery (MBS), with greater improvement in scores for those with higher postoperative weight...
More news resources
- FDA Medwatch Drug Alerts
- Daily MedNews
- News for Health Professionals
- New Drug Approvals
- New Drug Applications
- Drug Shortages
- Clinical Trial Results
- Generic Drug Approvals
Subscribe to our newsletter
Whatever your topic of interest, subscribe to our newsletters to get the best of Drugs.com in your inbox.