title: Patients reasons for obtaining psychotropic medications without a prescription at retail pharmacies in Central Saudi Arabia.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To explore the possible causes behind adults seeking psychotropic medications without a prescription; identify the most commonly used psychotropic medications without a prescription; and determine the prevalence of depression and anxiety disorders among adults who used psychotropic medications without a prescription in Riyadh, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.
  
  
  METHODS
  A cross-sectional study was conducted from November 2014 to August 2015. A convenience sample was taken by distributing a self-administered questionnaire among participants who had obtained psychotropic medications without a prescription from retail pharmacies during the 4 weeks prior to study intake in Riyadh, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. In addition to the study questionnaire, the 9-item Patient Health Questionnaire was used to screen for major depressive disorder, and the 7-item Generalized Anxiety Disorder Scale was used to screen for general anxiety disorders.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Of the 302 subjects, 42.4% attributed their use of psychotropic medications without a prescription to the non-seriousness of their symptoms and 28.5% to the high cost of psychiatric services. Escitalopram was the most commonly used medication (31.8%), and 3 atypical antipsychotics were used by more than one-fifth of the study participants. The prevalence for major depressive disorder was 46.0% and 41.7% for generalized anxiety disorder.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Most of the participants were able to easily obtain psychotropic medications without a prescription. We recommend implementing strong policies to prevent retail pharmacies from dispensing psychotropic medications without a prescription.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry, King Saud University Medical City, King Saud University, Riyadh, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. E-mail: dr.fahad.alosaimi@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Fahad D
authors.initials: FD
authors.lastname: Alosaimi
authors.forename: Fay S
authors.initials: FS
authors.lastname: Alruwais
authors.forename: Fadah A
authors.initials: FA
authors.lastname: Alanazi
authors.forename: Ghaida A
authors.initials: GA
authors.lastname: Alabidi
authors.forename: Nadia A
authors.initials: NA
authors.lastname: Aljomah
authors.forename: Nuha S
authors.initials: NS
authors.lastname: Alsalameh
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000927:Anticonvulsants / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000928:Antidepressive Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D014150:Antipsychotic Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D001008:Anxiety Disorders / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000453:epidemiology*; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D003865:Major Depressive Disorder / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000453:epidemiology*; D005260:Female; D005102:Health Expenditures; D006297:Health Services Accessibility; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008605:Mental Health Services / Q000191:economics; D008875:Middle Aged; D009042:Motivation; D010594:Pharmacies; D011570:Psychiatry; D011619:Psychotropic Drugs / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D012529:Saudi Arabia; D012651:Self Medication / Q000523:psychology*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D013997:Time Factors; D035502:Trust; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D000927:Anticonvulsants; D000928:Antidepressive Agents; D014150:Antipsychotic Agents; D011619:Psychotropic Drugs