Volkos, P. orcid.org/0000-0002-0684-5181, Kritsotakis, E.I. orcid.org/0000-0002-9526-3852 and Symvoulakis, E.K. orcid.org/0000-0002-5650-5513 (2024) Psychotropic medicine use without current or prior medical advice, storage at home and association with perceived stress in a primary health care setting in Greece. Medicina de Familia. SEMERGEN, 50 (3). 102150. ISSN 1138-3593
Abstract
OBJECTIVE: Psychotropic medicines use alters according to socio-economic factors and perceived stress. The study aimed to assess the prevalence of use of psychotropic medicines and supplements (PMS) without medical advice, including storage at home, and its relationship with socio-demographic characteristics and perceived stress in primary care patients.
MATERIALS AND METHODS: A cross-sectional sample of adult attendees in an urban primary care unit in Crete, Greece, were surveyed during regularly scheduled appointments during a three-week period in October 2020. A questionnaire was distributed to investigate PMS use during the last 12 months. The validated Greek version of Perceived Stress Scale (PSS-14) was adopted to measure perceived stress.
RESULTS: Of 263 respondents (mean age 46.3±14.5 years; 66.5% females), 101 (38.4%; 95%CI 33.1-43.7%) recalled having psychotropic medicines stored at home cabinets and 72 (27.4%; 95%CI 22.4-32.3%) reported using PMS without medical advice in the last 12 months.
CONCLUSIONS: This study revealed a high prevalence of PMS use without medical advice, including storage at home. People>59 years of age, experiencing irregular sleep and scoring high in PSS, displayed increased prevalence of storing PMS at home or using them without medical advice. The findings could potentially inform primary care providers to focus on patients most likely to be users of PMS without medical advice.
Metadata
Item Type: | Article |
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Authors/Creators: |
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Copyright, Publisher and Additional Information: | © 2023 Sociedad Española de Médicos de Atención Primaria (SEMERGEN). |
Keywords: | Almacenamiento de medicamentos; Atención primaria; Estrés percibido; Medicamentos psicotrópicos; Mental health disorders; Perceived stress; Primary care; Psychotropic medicines; Storage of medicines; Trastornos de salud mental; Adult; Female; Humans; Middle Aged; Male; Greece; Cross-Sectional Studies; Primary Health Care; Stress, Psychological; Psychological Tests; Self Report |
Dates: |
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Institution: | The University of Sheffield |
Academic Units: | The University of Sheffield > Faculty of Medicine, Dentistry and Health (Sheffield) > School of Health and Related Research (Sheffield) > ScHARR - Sheffield Centre for Health and Related Research |
Depositing User: | Symplectic Sheffield |
Date Deposited: | 19 Aug 2024 13:53 |
Last Modified: | 19 Aug 2024 13:53 |
Status: | Published |
Publisher: | Elsevier BV |
Refereed: | Yes |
Identification Number: | 10.1016/j.semerg.2023.102150 |
Related URLs: | |
Sustainable Development Goals: | |
Open Archives Initiative ID (OAI ID): | oai:eprints.whiterose.ac.uk:216213 |