Psychotropic drugs are mind affecting compounds. They range in type
from illegal narcotic analgesics such as heroin, to prescribed major
tranquillisers used for treatment of psychotic states, to prescribed
minor tranquillisers such as the benzodiazepines, Valium and Mogadon,
to the freely available, over the counter drugs, Aspirin and Panadol.
Overseas and Australian data show the minor tranquilliser group,
benzodiazepines, first introduced on the pharmaceutical scene in
the early 1960s, to be the most commonly prescribed psychotropic
drugs. Their popularity with medical practitioners as prescription
drugs for conditions of anxiety, stress, insomnia and some forms
of epilepsy, arises from the advertised inference by drug companies
that they are free from any side effects in the patient such as
dependence, tolerance and on termination of treatment, absence of
withdrawal syndrome. Benzodiazepines were first introduced as a
substitute for the well known dependence producing barbiturate based
sedatives.
Overseas and Australian data show women are prescribed psychotropic
drugs, particularly benzodiazepines, twice as often as men and in
many instances for conditions unrelated to those for which the drugs
are recommended.
Australian data comes from two sources, official statistics such
as the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme and from surveys of drug use.
Both sources of data are incomplete, inaccurate and in many cases
misleading. The true picture of prescribed psychotropic drug use
in Australia therefore lacks resolution and in all probability
underestimates prevalence and patterns of use in the community.
There is no data on the prevalence and patterns of use of prescribed
psychotropic drugs in the Australian Capital Territory. It was therefore
deemed appropriate to conduct a survey to determine their prevalence
and patterns of use. The survey was confined to women for several
reasons: Women are a target group in the Commonwealth and State
Government 'Drug Offensive'; evidence from studies overseas and in
Australia shows that women are prescribed psychotropic drugs,
particularly benzodiazepines, twice as often as men; Australian data
suggests that this trend is uniform and therefore the Australian
Capital Territory should be no different.
Data shows that doctors, particularly General Practitioners, are
the main source of prescribed psychotropic drugs. The main psychotropic
drugs prescribed by general practitioners are benzodiazepines. It
was therefore deemed appropriate to conduct a survey of general
practitioner's attitudes, knowledge and beliefs about the appropriate
use of benzodiazepines as these factors carry weight in a doctor's
prescribing habits.
The survey of women was conducted using a standardised, structured,
telephone survey on a random sample of 120 women in the Australian
Capital Territory.
The results of the survey show that 40% of the sample had used
prescribed psychotropics at some stage in their lives. Most users
were older women, married, well educated and working full time. Level
of knowledge about the drug was low, compliance with respect to use
was high. Most prescribed psychotropic drugs were obtained from a
doctor. There appears to be little drug sharing or concurrent drug
use. Half of the prescribed psychotropics were benzodiazepines the
other half were mostly anti-depressants. Use of over the counter
psychotropics was very high.
The survey of general practitioners was conducted using a standardised,
structured mailed questionnaire distributed to a random sample of
25 general practitioners in the Australian Capital Territory.
The results show the majority of doctors prescribe the drugs for
common indications (anxiety, stress, insomnia and some forms of
epilepsy) in excess of one week. For specific anxiety states however,
most prescribe the drugs along with some form of counselling. The
majority of doctors (77%) think counselling is not as effective as
drug treatment. All doctors surveyed think patients should be advised
of the drugs effects on driving and machinery operation; the drugs
should not be shared with others; that the drugs should not be
terminated abruptly; the drugs should not be used concurrently with
alcohol. The majority (92%) believe benzodiazepines are over prescribed
and most doctors (77%) believe the drugs produce dependence in patients.
The majority (58%) believe women of child bearing age are at risk
using benzodiazepines while 50% think pregnant women are at risk.
The majority of doctors did not believe that people older than 60
years of age are at risk but most believe children are at risk.
The findings of both surveys have implications for health educators
and others with a concern for drug education in the community.
Recommendations arising from this study have been made. They are
presented at the conclusion of this thesis.
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:ADTP/219452 |
| Date | January 1990 |
| Creators | White, Ian, n/a |
| Publisher | University of Canberra. Education |
| Source Sets | Australiasian Digital Theses Program |
| Language | English |
| Detected Language | English |
| Rights | ), Copyright Ian White |
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