Table 2: Adjusted odds ratios for likelihood of long-term sedative use* among community-dwelling British Columbians, stratified by age and sex and pooled by sex
VariableWomenMenAge 18-64 yr
OR (95% CI)†
Age  65 yr
OR (95% CI)†
Age 18-64 yr
OR (95% CI)†
Age  65 yr
OR (95% CI)†
Age 18-64 yr
OR (95% CI)†
Age  65 yr
OR (95% CI)†
Sex
    Male (reference)----1.001.00
    Female----1.22 (1.20-1.24)1.59 (1.57-1.62)
Age, yr
    18-44 (reference)1.00-1.00-1.00-
    45-643.53 (3.46-3.60)-2.57 (2.50-2.64)-3.14 (3.09-3.19)-
    65-84 (reference)-1.00-1.00-1.00
     85-1.10 (1.07-1.13)-1.10 (1.06-1.14)-1.09 (1.07-1.12)
Count of major ADGs‡
    0 (reference)1.001.001.001.001.001.00
    1-21.86 (1.82-1.89)1.39 (1.36-1.42)2.02 (1.97-2.07)1.53 (1.48-1.59)1.92 (1.90-1.95)1.43 (1.41-1.46)
     33.76 (3.64-3.89)1.83 (1.77-1.89)3.26 (3.13-3.39)2.04 (1.96-2.13)3.54 (3.45-3.63)1.90 (1.85-1.94)
Count of minor ADGs‡
    0-11.001.001.001.001.001.00
    2-33.11 (2.98-3.25)2.84 (2.69-3.00)3.59 (3.45-3.74)2.64 (2.47-2.83)3.35 (3.25-3.45)2.77 (2.65-2.88)
    4-55.21 (4.99-5.43)4.15 (3.94-4.38)6.34 (6.08-6.61)3.94 (3.68-4.21)5.70 (5.53-5.87)4.08 (3.91-4.25)
     69.42 (9.04-9.83)6.96 (6.61-7.33)11.70 (11.2-12.21)6.59 (6.16-7.04)10.29 (9.99-10.6)6.83 (6.56-7.12)
Income quintile
    Lowest1.33 (1.29-1.36)1.23 (1.18-1.27)1.57 (1.52-1.63)1.14 (1.10-1.19)1.41 (1.38-1.44)1.19 (1.16-1.22)
    Second1.08 (1.05-1.11)1.13 (1.09-1.17)1.19 (1.15-1.23)1.08 (1.03-1.12)1.12 (1.10-1.15)1.11 (1.08-1.14)
    Third0.97 (0.95-1.00)1.01 (0.97-1.05)1.05 (1.01-1.09)0.98 (0.94-1.02)1.01 (0.98-1.03)1.00 (0.97-1.03)
    Fourth0.99 (0.96-1.02)0.98 (0.94-1.02)1.00 (0.97-1.04)0.93 (0.89-0.97)0.99 (0.97-1.02)0.96 (0.93-0.98)
    Fifth (reference)1.001.001.001.001.001.00
Relationship status
Marriage-like relationship§ (reference)1.001.001.001.001.001.00
    Single1.40 (1.37-1.43)1.10 (1.08-1.13)1.61 (1.57-1.65)1.29 (1.25-1.33)1.48 (1.46-1.50)1.16 (1.14-1.19)
Ethnicity
    Other (reference)1.001.001.001.001.001.00
    Chinese0.29 (0.28-0.31)0.47 (0.45-0.49)0.34 (0.32-0.36)0.55 (0.52-0.59)0.31 (0.30-0.32)0.50 (0.48-0.52)
    South Asian0.35 (0.33-0.37)0.44 (0.41-0.47)0.53 (0.50-0.57)0.60 (0.55-0.65)0.42 (0.40-0.43)0.49 (0.47-0.52)
Neighbourhood urbanization
    Urban (reference)1.001.001.001.001.001.00
    Rural1.08 (1.04-1.12)0.95 (0.91-0.98)0.98 (0.93-1.02)0.98 (0.94-1.03)1.04 (1.01-1.07)0.96 (0.93-0.99)

Note: Bold values indicate significance at p < 0.05. ADG = Aggregated Diagnostic Group, CI = confidence interval, OR = odds ratio.

*Long-term sedative use defined as the filling of prescriptions containing a total of 90 or more days' supply of sedative during the calendar year. Drugs included as benzodiazepines and z-drugs are provided in Appendix 1.

†Odds ratios are adjusted for all listed variables.

‡ADGs map International Classification of Diseases, 9th and 10th revisions, codes into 32 mutually exclusive groups based on similar levels of severity, persistence, and health resource requirements. Of these groups, 8 have very high expected resource use and are labelled as major ADGs. Remaining ADGs are considered minor.

§Marriage-like relationships include common-law and married relationships between 2 same-sex or opposite-sex adults.