The prevalence and the risk factors associated with tranquilizer abuse in the population with the age of over 18 years in Iran

BACKGROUND: Non-medical use of prescription drugs is a growing global health concern. The real scale of the problem is unknown. Statistics indicate that taking painkillers and sedatives leads to dependency and addiction to the drugs administered. Therefore, this study aimed to determine the prevalence and risk factors of drug abuse for causing lethargy and sedation in the population with the age of over 18 years in Sanandaj City, Iran. METHODS: This descriptive-analytic study was conducted in year 2015. The sample size was 1750 people, and cluster sampling method was performed from all health care centers in Sanandaj City. Data were collected using a researcher-made questionnaire to assess intractable consumption and tranquilizer drug abuse, and addiction to these medications. Data were analyzed using chi-square test and logistic regression analysis to identify socio-demographic and risk behavior correlated with abuse tranquilizer or sedative drugs. RESULTS: 80% of the participants had intractable consumption, and 18% of those with intractable consumption had dependency to these drugs (having two symptoms of withdrawal and denial of medications according to DSM-IV). The factors affecting consumption and drug abuse can be arbitrary, job, availability of pharmaceuticals, insurance, family history of addiction, marital status, physical or mental illness, and conflict in the family. CONCLUSION: Dependency to lethargy-inducing drugs and tranquilizers was high in the study population. So, planning to make people aware of the consequences of taking drugs, especially tranquilizers and lethargy-inducing drugs, is very important.