Corticosteroid nonprescription use: a cross-sectional hospital-based study in Basrah

To study the prevalence and attitude of using nonprescription corticosteroids (oral or parenteral formulation of glucocorticosteroids) in Basrah, Iraq.

A face-to-face model structured interview was used to collect information from 682 patients between January 2006 and December 2008. The following information was obtained: age, gender, marital status, smoking, drinking of alcohol, occupation, educational level, social class and place of residence.

Of the 682 (2.6%) subjects using nonprescription corticosteroids most were females: 471 (69%); married: 567 (83%); of low social class: 430 (63.1%); lived in the city center: 475 (69.6%). The majority (569, 83.5%) thought that corticosteroid use was safe and 463 (68.0%) did not feel guilty for using such medications. About half of them (377, 55.3%) were still using drugs at the time of presentation. Three hundred and fifty-seven (52.4%) reported that physicians advised them for the first time to use corticosteroids and the remaining 325 (42.2%) used it to become beautiful or marry. Three hundred and sixty-four (53.4%) patients obtained the drug from the pharmacy and 252 (36.9%) from street vendors. Weight gain was the main indication for use in 342 (50.1%) patients. Almost all had some features of corticosteroid side effects.

This study showed high use of nonprescription corticosteroid in Basrah, Iraq. We therefore recommend educational programs to alert the population of the untoward side effects of corticosteroids.