Abstract

The abuse of tranquilizers is recognized as a major health problem. A substantial number of qualitative studies have suggested that the prescribing practices of physicians are at least partly responsible for the problem. Yet there is still a need to test this contention statistically. This paper tests the strength of the relationship over time between physicians' prescriptions of tranquilizers and tranquilizer abuse. Data on physicians' prescriptions are based on projections calculated by the National Disease and Therapeutic Index (NDTI). Data on tranquilizer abuse are based on emergency room episodes reported to the Drug Abuse Warning Network (DAWN). The correlation between physicians' tranquilizer prescriptions and tranquilizer abuse is found to be .46 (significant at the .05 level), after controlling for serial correlations in the data.

Talk to us

Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have

Schedule a call

Disclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.