NON-MEDICAL PRESCRIPTION DRUG USE IN SERBIA: RESULTS FROM THE NATIONAL SURVEY ON LIFESTYLES – SUBSTANCE ABUSE AND GAMBLING

Zorica Terzić Šupić; Jovana Todorović; Biljana Kilibarda; Viktor Mravčik

doi:10.5937/smclk4-44519

Zorica Terzić Šupić Prof. Dr
Jovana Todorović University of Belgrade, Medical Faculty, Institute of Social Medicine
Biljana Kilibarda Institute of Public Health of Serbia ‘Dr Milan Jovanovic Batut’, Belgrade, Serbia
Viktor Mravčik National Monitoring Centre for Drugs and Addiction, Office of the Government, Prague, Czech Republic; Department of Addictology, First Faculty of Medicine, Charles University and General University Hospital, Prague, Czech Republic; Centre for Epidemiological and Clinical Research on Addictions, National Institute of Mental Health, Klecany, Czech Republic

DOI: https://doi.org/10.5937/smclk4-44519

Keywords: NMPDU, anti-anxiety medications, Serbia, factors

Abstract

Background: Non-medical prescription drug use (NMPDU) of anti-anxiety medications is a growing public health concern. The aim of this study was to examine the prevalence of the use of anti-anxiety medications, as well as the factors associated with the NMPDU of these medications among adults in Serbia.

Materials and methods: The study is a secondary analysis of the data from the National Survey on Lifestyles in Serbia – Substance Abuse and Gambling, conducted in 2014 and 2018, with 7,385 participants.

Results: The prevalence of prescription only use of anti-anxiety medications was 13.5% (995/7,385), while the prevalence of the non-medical prescription drug use was 5.04% (372/7,385). Multinomial logistic regression analysis showed an association between non-medical prescription use of anti-anxiety medications and the female sex (OR: 3.23), the age between 35 and 44 years (OR: 1.91), the age between 45 and 54 years (OR: 2.40), or the age between 55 and 64 years (OR: 2.97), reporting a low (OR: 2.40) or average (OR:1.67) satisfaction with health status, being a smoker (OR: 1.62), having moderate (OR: 2.35) or high (OR: 4.56) psychological distress, and having a low/moderate risk for pathological gambling (OR: 1.86).

Conclusion: There is a clear need for the inclusion of health care professionals and media in the education of patients on the risks of self-medication, medication exchange, or illegal purchase of these medications.

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