{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,7,12]],"date-time":"2026-07-12T03:50:08Z","timestamp":1783828208724,"version":"3.55.0"},"reference-count":39,"publisher":"Frontiers Media SA","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2022,9,8]],"date-time":"2022-09-08T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1662595200000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0\/"}],"funder":[{"DOI":"10.13039\/100012818","name":"Comunidad de Madrid","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","id":[{"id":"10.13039\/100012818","id-type":"DOI","asserted-by":"publisher"}]}],"content-domain":{"domain":["frontiersin.org"],"crossmark-restriction":true},"short-container-title":["Front. Med."],"abstract":"<jats:sec><jats:title>Background<\/jats:title><jats:p>Psychotropic drug consumption has increased during the COVID-19 pandemic. We describe here the prevalence and identifying factors associated with Benzodiazepine (BZD) and Z-hypnotics use among a sample of Spanish adults suffering from long-COVID-19 syndrome, from a gender perspective.<\/jats:p><\/jats:sec><jats:sec><jats:title>Materials and methods<\/jats:title><jats:p>Data were anonymously collected between 15th December 2021 and 15th March 2022. The collection form consisted of several questions gathering sociodemographic information, post-COVID symptom, health profile, and pharmacological drug intake. Using logistic multivariate regression models, we estimated the independent effect of each of these variables on self-medicated consumption. Three models were generated (female, male, and both gender).<\/jats:p><\/jats:sec><jats:sec><jats:title>Results<\/jats:title><jats:p>Prevalence of BZD and Z-hypnotics use was 44.9% (46.5% for women; 37.8% for men). Zolpidem was the most consumed drug among male (20.7%), and lorazepam in female (31.1%). Patterns of drug consumption among female were related with number of post-COVID symptoms and smoking habit (AOR 2.76, 95%CI 1.16\u20136.52). Males under 40 years of age are more likely to consume BZD and Z-hypnotics (AOR 5.52, 95%CI 1.08\u201328.27).<\/jats:p><\/jats:sec><jats:sec><jats:title>Conclusion<\/jats:title><jats:p>The prevalence of consumption of BZD and Z-hypnotics in those subjects with long-COVID-19 in our study reaches values of 44.9%. Women with long-COVID-19 declare a higher prevalence of consumption than men. Predictors of BZD and Z-hypnotic in men were, age and number of medication use. Smoking habit and the number of post-COVID symptoms were predictive variables in women.<\/jats:p><\/jats:sec>","DOI":"10.3389\/fmed.2022.975930","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2022,9,8]],"date-time":"2022-09-08T06:31:37Z","timestamp":1662618697000},"update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3389\/crossmark-policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":12,"title":["Benzodiazepines and Z-hypnotics consumption in long-COVID-19 patients: Gender differences and associated factors"],"prefix":"10.3389","volume":"9","author":[{"given":"Pilar","family":"Carrasco-Garrido","sequence":"first","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Cesar","family":"Fern\u00e1ndez-de-Las-Pe\u00f1as","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Valent\u00edn","family":"Hern\u00e1ndez-Barrera","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Domingo","family":"Palacios-Ce\u00f1a","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Isabel","family":"Jim\u00e9nez-Trujillo","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Carmen","family":"Gallardo-Pino","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]}],"member":"1965","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2022,9,8]]},"reference":[{"key":"B1","year":"2022","journal-title":"WHO Coronavirus"},{"key":"B2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"220","DOI":"10.1016\/S0140-6736(20)32656-8","article-title":"6-month consequences of COVID-19 in patients discharged from hospital: a cohort study.","volume":"397","author":"Huang","year":"2021","journal-title":"Lancet."},{"key":"B3","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"603","DOI":"10.1001\/jama.2020.12603","article-title":"Gemelli against COVID-19 post-acute care study group. Persistent symptoms in patients after acute COVID-19.","volume":"324","author":"Carf\u0131","year":"2020","journal-title":"JAMA."},{"key":"B4","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"1332","DOI":"10.1177\/03331024211020404","article-title":"The presence of headache at onset in SARS-CoV-2 infection is associated with long-term post-COVID headache and fatigue: a case-control study.","volume":"41","author":"Fern\u00e1ndez-de-Las-Pe\u00f1as","year":"2021","journal-title":"Cephalalgia."},{"key":"B5","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"601","DOI":"10.1038\/s41591-021-01283-z","article-title":"Post-acute COVID-19 syndrome.","volume":"27","author":"Nalbandian","year":"2021","journal-title":"Nat Med."},{"key":"B6","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"1","DOI":"10.1017\/S003329172000504","article-title":"The mental health impact of COVID-19 and lockdown-related stressors among adults in the UK.","volume":"7","author":"Chandola","year":"2020","journal-title":"Psychol Med."},{"key":"B7","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1136\/bmj.n614","article-title":"Mental health of children and young people during pandemic.","volume":"372","author":"Ford","year":"2021","journal-title":"BMJ."},{"key":"B8","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","DOI":"10.1177\/2150132720953682","article-title":"Mental health burden of the COVID-19 outbreak in Germany: predictors of mental health impairment.","volume":"11","author":"B\u00e4uerle","year":"2020","journal-title":"J Prim Care Commun Health."},{"key":"B9","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.12688\/f1000research.24457.1","article-title":"Epidemiology of mental health problems in COVID-19: a review.","volume":"9","author":"Hossain","year":"2020","journal-title":"F1000Research."},{"key":"B10","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1016\/j.psychres.2020.113267","article-title":"Prevalence and predictors of general psychiatric disorders and loneliness during COVID-19 in the United Kingdom.","volume":"291","author":"Li","year":"2020","journal-title":"Psychiatry Res."},{"key":"B11","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"49","DOI":"10.5770\/cgj.25.532","article-title":"Gender differences in mental health symptoms among Canadian older adults during the COVID-19 pandemic: a cross-sectional survey.","volume":"25","author":"Reppas-Rindlisbacher","year":"2022","journal-title":"Can Geriatr J."},{"key":"B12","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.3390\/ijerph18189728","article-title":"Changes in substance use and mental health burden among women during the second wave of COVID-19 in Germany.","volume":"18","author":"Schecke","year":"2021","journal-title":"Int J Environ Res Public Health."},{"key":"B13","year":"2021","journal-title":"Spanish Mental Health"},{"key":"B14","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1093\/ageing\/afac060","article-title":"Stakeholders\u2019 views on the use of psychotropic medication in older people: a systematic review.","volume":"51","author":"Bednarczyk","year":"2022","journal-title":"Age Ageing."},{"key":"B15","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1001\/jamanetworkopen.2021.31012","article-title":"Trends in the use of benzodiazepines. Z-Hypnotics, and serotonergic drugs among US women and men before and during the COVID-19 pandemic.","volume":"4","author":"Milani","year":"2021","journal-title":"JAMA Netw Open."},{"key":"B16","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1371\/journal.pone.0260322","article-title":"Impact of the COVID-19 pandemic in the Portuguese population: consumption of alcohol, stimulant drinks, illegal substances, and pharmaceuticals.","volume":"16","author":"Fernandes","year":"2021","journal-title":"PLoS One."},{"key":"B17","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.3390\/jpm12020178","article-title":"Antidepressants drug use during COVID-19 waves in the tuscan general population: an interrupted time-series analysis.","volume":"12","author":"Antonazzo","year":"2022","journal-title":"J Pers Med."},{"key":"B18","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1016\/j.jpsychores.2021.110625","article-title":"The number of symptoms at the acute COVID-19 phase is associated with anxiety and depressive long-term post-COVID symptoms: a multicenter study.","volume":"150","author":"Fern\u00e1ndez-de-las-Pe\u00f1as","year":"2021","journal-title":"J Psychosom Res."},{"key":"B19","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.3390\/jcm11020413","article-title":"Female sex is a risk factor associated with long-term post-covid related-symptoms but not with COVID-19 symptoms: the LONG-COVID-EXP-CM multicenter study.","volume":"11","author":"Fern\u00e1ndez-de-las-Pe\u00f1as","year":"2022","journal-title":"J Clin Med."},{"key":"B20","year":"2016","journal-title":"Manuals with Guidelines on the Integration of Sex and Gender Analysis into Research Contents, Recommendations for Curricula Development and Indicators."},{"key":"B21","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","DOI":"10.1002\/9781118548387","author":"Hosmer","year":"2013","journal-title":"Applied Logistic Regression."},{"key":"B22","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.3390\/ijerph18115944","article-title":"Trends in the use of anxiolytics in Castile and Leon, Spain, between 2015-2020: evaluating the impact of COVID-19.","volume":"18","author":"S\u00e1nchez D\u00edaz","year":"2021","journal-title":"Int J Environ Res Public Health."},{"key":"B23","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.3390\/ijerph19084782","article-title":"Consumption of psychiatric drugs in primary care during the COVID-19 Pandemic.","volume":"19","author":"Gonz\u00e1lez-L\u00f3pez","year":"2022","journal-title":"Int J Environ Res Public Health."},{"key":"B24","year":"2022","journal-title":"Utilizaci\u00f3n de Medicamentos"},{"key":"B25","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"426","DOI":"10.1177\/070674371305800708","article-title":"Trends in psychotropic use in Saskatchewan from 1983 to 2007.","volume":"58","author":"Meng","year":"2013","journal-title":"Can J Psychiatry."},{"key":"B26","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.3390\/ijerph13121177","article-title":"Time trend in psychotropic medication use in Spain: a nationwide population-based study.","volume":"13","author":"Carrasco-Garrido","year":"2016","journal-title":"Int J Environ Res Public Health."},{"key":"B27","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1371\/journal.pone.0207921","article-title":"Psychotropic use patterns: are there differences between men and women?","volume":"13","author":"Estancial Fernandes","year":"2018","journal-title":"PLoS One."},{"key":"B28","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"611.e9","DOI":"10.1016\/j.cmi.2021.11.002","article-title":"Female gender is associated with long COVID syndrome: a prospective cohort study.","volume":"28","author":"Bai","year":"2022","journal-title":"Clin Microbiol Infect."},{"key":"B29","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1038\/s41467-022-29521-z","article-title":"Persistent COVID-19 symptoms in a community study of 606,434 people in England.","volume":"13","author":"Whitaker","year":"2022","journal-title":"Nat Commun."},{"key":"B30","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"95","DOI":"10.1016\/j.gaceta.2020.04.008","article-title":"Health statistics and invisibility by sex and gender during the COVID-19 epidemic.","volume":"35","author":"Ruiz Cantero","year":"2021","journal-title":"Gac Sanit."},{"key":"B31","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1001\/jamanetworkopen.2020.37665","article-title":"Follow-up survey of US adult reports of mental health, substance use, and suicidal ideation during the COVID-19 pandemic, September 2020.","volume":"4","author":"Czeisler","year":"2021","journal-title":"JAMA Netw Open"},{"key":"B32","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1136\/bmj-2021-068993","article-title":"Risks of mental health outcomes in people with covid-19: cohort study.","volume":"376","author":"Xie","year":"2022","journal-title":"BMJ."},{"key":"B33","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"463","DOI":"10.3947\/ic.2021.0022","article-title":"Significance and associated factors of long-term sequelae in patients after acute COVID-19 infection in Korea.","volume":"53","author":"Kim","year":"2021","journal-title":"Infect Chemother."},{"key":"B34","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1186\/s13011-021-00373-y","article-title":"Use of alcohol, tobacco, cannabis, and other substances during the first wave of the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic in Europe: a survey on 36,000 European substance users.","volume":"16","author":"Manthey","year":"2021","journal-title":"J. Subst Abuse Treat Prev Policy."},{"key":"B35","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"17","DOI":"10.22365\/jpsych.2022.072","article-title":"Substance use during the COVID-19 pandemic: what is really happening?","volume":"33","author":"Mellos","year":"2022","journal-title":"Psychiatriki."},{"key":"B36","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1016\/j.addbeh.2021.107213","article-title":"Substance, use in relation to COVID-19: a scoping review.","volume":"127","author":"Kumar","year":"2022","journal-title":"Addict Behav."},{"key":"B37","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1016\/j.pnpbp.2021.110479","article-title":"FondaMental advanced centres of expertise in resistant depression (FACETRD) group. Recommendations of the treatment-resistant depression expert center network for promoting tobacco smoking cessation based on the results from the real-world FACE-TRD national cohort.","volume":"114","author":"Korchia","year":"2022","journal-title":"Prog Neuropsychopharmacol Biol Psychiatry."},{"key":"B38","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1038\/s41586-","article-title":"Sex- and gender specific risk factors of post-COVID-19 syndrome: a population-based cohort study in Switzerland.","author":"Gebhard","year":"2021","journal-title":"bioRxiv [Preprint]."},{"key":"B39","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"620","DOI":"10.1089\/jwh.2021.0411","article-title":"Sex-Related differences in long-COVID-19 Syndrome.","volume":"31","author":"Pel\u00e0","year":"2022","journal-title":"J Womens Health."}],"container-title":["Frontiers in Medicine"],"original-title":[],"link":[{"URL":"https:\/\/www.frontiersin.org\/articles\/10.3389\/fmed.2022.975930\/full","content-type":"unspecified","content-version":"vor","intended-application":"similarity-checking"}],"deposited":{"date-parts":[[2022,9,8]],"date-time":"2022-09-08T06:31:42Z","timestamp":1662618702000},"score":1,"resource":{"primary":{"URL":"https:\/\/www.frontiersin.org\/articles\/10.3389\/fmed.2022.975930\/full"}},"subtitle":[],"short-title":[],"issued":{"date-parts":[[2022,9,8]]},"references-count":39,"alternative-id":["10.3389\/fmed.2022.975930"],"URL":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3389\/fmed.2022.975930","relation":{},"ISSN":["2296-858X"],"issn-type":[{"value":"2296-858X","type":"electronic"}],"subject":[],"published":{"date-parts":[[2022,9,8]]},"article-number":"975930"}}