Self-prescription with psychotropic medications by healthcare professionals working at mental health institutions in Saudi Arabia

• Published in: Journal of Family & Community Medicine Vol. 31; no. 3; pp. 230 - 236
• Main Authors: Albawardi, Ibrahim M, Abdullah, Layla A Abu, Alzouri, Fatimah S, Aldar, Hawra M, Al-Shiban, Manar A, AlBakr, Dalal M, AlMusailhi, Jawaher A, AlSaidan, Saleh M, Sonbaa, Ali M
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: India Medknow Publications and Media Pvt. Ltd 01-07-2024; Wolters Kluwer - Medknow; Wolters Kluwer Medknow Publications
• Subjects: Antianxiety agents; Antidepressants; antipsychotics; anxiolytics; Drugs; Medical personnel; Mental health; Mental illness; mood stabilizers; Original; Prescription writing; psychotropic medications; self-prescription; stimulants; Saudi Arabia; stimulants; Antidepressants; mental health; anxiolytics; antipsychotics; self-prescription; psychotropic medications; mood stabilizers
• ISSN: 1319-1683; 2230-8229; 2229-340X
• DOI: 10.4103/jfcm.jfcm_1_24

Healthcare professionals who work in mental health institutions are more exposed to psychotropic medications than those in other healthcare institutions and are, therefore, more likely to self-prescribe. Self-prescription is a concerning phenomenon because of the potential for medication misuse, drug interaction, addiction, and other social, physical, and psychological consequences. This study investigated the prevalence of self-prescription of psychotropic medications and the most common self-prescribed psychotropic medications by healthcare professionals in mental health institutions in Saudi Arabia. It also aimed to determine the possible side effects and factors associated with self-prescription of psychotropic medications.
This was a cross-sectional study using an electronic survey consisting of a researcher-designed checklist, targeting healthcare professionals in mental health institutions in Saudi Arabia. The independent variables were sex, nationality, occupation, place of residence, place of work, previous diagnosis of mental illness, marital, and living status. Data were analyzed, using SPSS, and frequency distribution and percentages were calculated. Chi-square test was employed to determine association between self-prescription and various independent variables.
The final sample size was 588; 9.5% healthcare professionals working at mental health institutions in Saudi Arabia admitted to self-prescription with psychotropic medications. Almost half of those who admitted to self-prescription (48.2%) and about 1/4 (23.2%) self-prescribed selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors and benzodiazepines, respectively. The most commonly reported side effects of self-prescription were gastrointestinal symptoms and drowsiness. The study also suggested that males were significantly more prone to self-prescribing than females (
< 0.001).
To our knowledge, this is the first study in Saudi Arabia to assess the self-prescription of psychotropic medications by healthcare professionals at mental health institutions. This study is important for decision-makers in their planning and updating of prescription policies. It is also equally important to spread awareness among healthcare professionals about the consequences of self-prescription.