Keywords
Aged
Quality of life
Healthy aging
Cognition
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Abstract
Objective: To compare the profile of elderly benzodiazepine users and non-users in Anápolis, assessing quality of life, cognitive functioning, and functional capacity as determinants of active aging. Methods: A cross-sectional, descriptive, quantitative study was conducted with 36 older adults (≥60 years) in Anápolis, Brazil. Participants were divided into benzodiazepine users and non-users. Standardized instruments were applied to assess quality of life (WHOQOL-bref), functional capacity (Katz and Lawton Scales), depressive symptoms (GDS-15, HAM-D), anxiety (GAD-7), cognition (MoCA), and fall risk (Morse Scale). Data were compared between groups using the Fisher–Freeman–Halton exact test. Results: The prevalence of benzodiazepine use was 36.1% (n=13). Compared with non-users, benzodiazepine users showed significantly greater impairment in basic (p=0.005) and instrumental (p=0.003) activities of daily living. A higher frequency of depressive symptoms was observed among users (p<0.001), as well as lower scores in the physical domain of quality of life (p=0.058). No statistically significant differences were identified regarding anxiety (p=0.610), fall risk (p=0.214), or cognitive function (p=0.114). Conclusion: Chronic benzodiazepine use in older adults is associated with relevant impairments in functional, behavioral, and psychosocial domains, reflecting a negative impact on quality of life.
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