Participant characteristics
| Characteristic | Total (N= 22) | |
|---|---|---|
| Age, mean ± SD | 42.6 ± 15.9 | |
| Identified gender, n (%) | ||
| Female | 12 (54.5) | |
| Male | 7 (31.8) | |
| Non-binary | 3 (13.6) | |
| Employment status, n (%) | ||
| Student (casual) | 2 (9.1) | |
| Part time | 2 (9.1) | |
| Full time | 8 (36.4) | |
| Retired | 3 (13.6) | |
| Unemployed/disability pension | 4 (18.2)/3 (13.6) | |
| BZD/Z-drug | Primary | Secondary |
| Alprazolam | 1 | — |
| Clonazepam | 2 | — |
| Diazepam | 14 | 1 |
| Lorazepam | 2 | 1 |
| Nitrazepam | 1 | — |
| Oxazepam | 1 | 1 |
| Temazepam | — | 3 |
| Zopiclone/Zolpidem | 1 | 4 |
| Duration of use, mean ± SD | 10.4 years ± 8.6 | |
| 1–2 years | 7 (31.8%) | |
| 5–10 years | 6 (27.3%) | |
| 11–≥20 years | 9 (40.9%) | |
| Reason prescribed | Primary | Secondary |
| Anxiety disorder (including PTSD) | 16 | 3 |
| Insomnia | 2 | 6 |
| Medical condition | 2 | — |
| Substance withdrawal | 2 | — |
| SDS scores (mean ± SD) | 5.0 ± 3.7 | |
| PHQ-9 scores (mean ± SD) | 11.4 ± 7.0 | |
| GAD-7 scores (mean ± SD) | 10.1 ± 5.0 | |
| SF-8 scores (mean ± SD) | 25.5 ± 5.3 | |
BZD = benzodiazepine. GAD-7 = Generalised Anxiety Disorder-7. PHQ-9 = Patient Health Questionnaire-9. PTSD = post-traumatic stress disorder. SD = standard deviation. SDS = Severity of Dependence Scale. SF-8 = Health Survey Short-Form-8.