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last mo.

AOK Study Finds Wide Regional Gaps and Persistent Benzodiazepine Overuse in German Nursing Homes

A seven-year review of AOK records highlights modest drops in sedative use alongside alarming shortfalls in diabetes eye care.

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Bei der Qualität der Pflege in Heimen gibt es große regionale Unterschiede. Dabei geht es beispielsweise um die Dauermedikation mit Schlaf- und Beruhigungsmitteln, wie aus einer Auswertung des wissenschaftlichen Instituts der AOK hervorgeht.
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Overview

  • Analysis of data from around 350,000 residents reveals pronounced differences in care quality across Germany’s federal states.
  • In 2023, 7.14% of nursing home residents received long-term benzodiazepine prescriptions, down slightly from 7.33% in 2022.
  • Sedative use peaks at 15.88% in Saarland and falls to just 2.9% in Saxony-Anhalt, with North Rhine-Westphalia reporting 12.15%, five points above the national average.
  • Long-term benzodiazepine therapy poses risks of dependency, increased falls, anxiety and depression among elderly residents.
  • More than 79% of nursing home residents with diabetes did not receive regular ophthalmological screening in 2023.