Sharing of prescription analgesics amongst patients in family practice: Frequency and associated factors.

OBJECTIVE

To analyse the frequency of nonrecreational prescription analgesic sharing, associated factors and differences between lenders and borrowers.

METHODS

A cross-sectional study was conducted in 10 outpatient family medicine practices in Croatia amongst 1000 patients to whom their physicians have prescribed analgesics at least once in their lives. A questionnaire was used to collect data about patients' pain intensity, prescription analgesic sharing habits, factors associated with this behaviour, perception of risks associated with the conduct and demographic data. Logistic regression was conducted to analyse independent factors associated with lending and borrowing prescription analgesics.

RESULTS

We found that 61% of patients in family medicine practices engage in sharing prescription analgesics, whether it was lending (42%) and/or borrowing (54%). Independent predictors of lending prescription analgesics were as follows: history of sharing prescription medication other than analgesics, providing information regarding the medication alongside the prescription medication itself, not reading package insert that accompanies medication, subjective perception of personal health and decreased awareness of personal harm associated with prescription analgesic sharing. Independent predictors of prescription analgesic borrowing were as follows: younger age, communicating details regarding the medication that was given, scanning of package insert accompanying the medication, biased subjective perception of personal health and perceiving alternative medicine as a safer option over conventional medicine.

CONCLUSIONS

Sharing prescription analgesics is highly prevalent amongst patients in family medicine. Healthcare providers should remain alert by routinely questioning patients regarding such behaviours. Preventive interventions should be conceived and established.

SIGNIFICANCE

Sharing of prescription analgesics is a highly prevalent behaviour amongst pain patients, and there exist independent factors associated with such conduct. This information can be useful in the design of interventions aimed at mitigating analgesic sharing behaviour in the future.