{
  "abstract": "Objective\n\nTo estimate the prevalence of benzodiazepine prescribing among patients with posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), identify patient- and practice-level correlates of benzodiazepine use, and examine the clinical rationale underlying prescribing decisions. We aimed to characterize real-world patterns and determinants of benzodiazepine use in a specialized tertiary care military and Veteran PTSD setting, where PTSD is often chronic and treatment-refractory, and to clarify the clinical factors associated with benzodiazepine prescribing.Methods\n\nWe conducted a cross-sectional study using clinician-reported data from 13 psychiatrists practicing in Canadian tertiary care Operational Stress Injury clinics. Psychiatrists provided current prescribing information for 438 military personnel and Veterans receiving treatment for a primary diagnosis of PTSD. Multivariable logistic regression examined associations between patient and provider characteristics, treatment history, and benzodiazepine prescribing. Analyses adjusted for age, sex, and clinical site, and accounted for clustering at the provider level.Results\n\nBenzodiazepines were prescribed to 22% of patients. Use was more frequent among patients with longer PTSD duration and greater cumulative pharmacotherapy exposure. Each additional year of PTSD was associated with a 12% increase in adjusted odds of benzodiazepine use (OR 1.12, 95% CI 1.06-1.18). Patients with ≥ 5 years of pharmacotherapy exposure had two- to three-fold greater odds compared with those treated < 5 years. Benzodiazepine monotherapy was rare (< 1%), with most use occurring in combination with other psychotropic medications.Conclusions\n\nIn these specialized clinics, benzodiazepine use was more common among patients with persistent illness and extensive treatment histories. These patterns suggest use occurs primarily in the context of chronic and complex care, underscoring the importance of clear clinical guidance for real-world practice.",
  "abstract_shown": true,
  "affiliations": [
    "MacDonald Franklin OSI Research Centre, Lawson Research Institute, London, ON, Canada.",
    "Department of Psychiatry, Western University, London, ON, Canada.",
    "Clinique TSO du CIUSSS de la Capitale Nationale, Québec, QC, Canada.",
    "Département de Psychiatrie et de Neurosciences, Faculté de Médecine, Université Laval, Québec, QC, Canada.",
    "Department of Psychiatry, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada.",
    "Ontario Shores Centre of Mental Health Sciences, Whitby, ON, Canada.",
    "Department of Psychiatry, Max Rady College of Medicine, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, MB, Canada.",
    "Deer Lodge Centre OSI Clinic, Winnipeg, MB, Canada.",
    "Department of Psychiatry and Behavioural Neurosciences, McMaster University, Hamilton, ON, Canada.",
    "St. Joseph's OSI Clinic, St. Joseph's Health Care London, London, ON, Canada.",
    "Department of Clinical Health Psychology and Psychiatry, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, MB, Canada.",
    "Lawson Research Institute, London, ON, Canada."
  ],
  "article_type": "research article",
  "arxiv": null,
  "author_total": 13,
  "authors": [
    {
      "affs": [
        0,
        1
      ],
      "name": "Erin Collins"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        0,
        1
      ],
      "name": "Jenny J W Liu"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        2,
        3
      ],
      "name": "Mathieu Bilodeau"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        4,
        5
      ],
      "name": "Amer M Burhan"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        6,
        7
      ],
      "name": "Murray W Enns"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        2
      ],
      "name": "Vicky Lavoie"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        0,
        1
      ],
      "name": "Natalie Ein"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        0,
        1,
        8
      ],
      "name": "Anthony Nazarov"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        2,
        3
      ],
      "name": "Edouard Auger"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        1,
        9
      ],
      "name": "Ken Balderson"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        7,
        10
      ],
      "name": "Natalie Mota"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        9,
        11
      ],
      "name": "Sonya Wanklyn"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        0,
        1,
        8,
        9
      ],
      "name": "J Don Richardson"
    }
  ],
  "bibtex": "https://research.draconitic.com/paper/8g4xar6bpg900.bib",
  "cited_by": 0,
  "doi": "10.3389/fpsyt.2026.1931305",
  "fulltext_url": "https://europepmc.org/articles/PMC13677842",
  "id": "8g4xar6bpg900",
  "issns": [
    "1664-0640"
  ],
  "landing_url": "https://europepmc.org/article/MED/42898444",
  "language": "eng",
  "licence": "CC-BY",
  "licence_label": "CC BY",
  "licence_source": "article",
  "licence_url": "https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/",
  "metadata_licence": null,
  "native_subjects": [
    [
      "openalex",
      "3203|Posttraumatic Stress Disorder Research"
    ]
  ],
  "openalex": "W7220440715",
  "pdf_url": "https://europepmc.org/articles/PMC13677842?pdf=render",
  "pmcid": "PMC13677842",
  "pmid": "42898444",
  "published": "2026-10-05",
  "publisher": "Frontiers Media SA",
  "ris": "https://research.draconitic.com/paper/8g4xar6bpg900.ris",
  "sources": [
    {
      "first_seen": "2026-10-30T12:19:37Z",
      "native_id": "MED:42898444",
      "source": "europepmc",
      "url": "https://europepmc.org/article/MED/42898444"
    },
    {
      "first_seen": "2026-10-30T12:20:18Z",
      "native_id": "10.3389/fpsyt.2026.1931305",
      "source": "crossref",
      "url": "https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpsyt.2026.1931305/full"
    }
  ],
  "subjects": [
    {
      "field": "medicine",
      "origin": "openalex:3203|Posttraumatic Stress Disorder Research",
      "subfield": "psychiatry"
    }
  ],
  "title": "Benzodiazepine prescribing in chronic military-related PTSD: real-world patterns and correlates in specialized care.",
  "title_text": "Benzodiazepine prescribing in chronic military-related PTSD: real-world patterns and correlates in specialized care.",
  "type": "peer-reviewed",
  "updated_at": "2026-10-30T12:20:18Z",
  "url": "https://research.draconitic.com/paper/8g4xar6bpg900",
  "venue": "Frontiers in psychiatry",
  "versions": []
}