The Misuse of Prescription Drugs after the 2023 Earthquake in Türkiye: Insights from Pharmacy Workers
 
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1
İnönü University
 
2
Bandırma Onyedi Eylül University
 
3
AGH University of Science and Technology in Krakow
 
4
Malatya Turgut Özal University
 
5
İnönü University.
 
 
Submission date: 2025-07-12
 
 
Acceptance date: 2025-09-22
 
 
Publication date: 2025-12-10
 
 
Polish Sociological Review 2025;232(4):423-444
 
KEYWORDS
ABSTRACT
The misuse of prescription drugs among individuals with substance use disorder (SUD) is a growing public health concern, particularly after disasters. However, there is limited research on the experiences of pharmacy workers in such contexts. This qualitative phenomenological study explored the post-earthquake experiences of 30 pharmacy workers (19 male, 11 female) regarding prescription drug misuse by individuals with SUD. Data was collected via semi-structured interviews and analyzed thematically. Six themes emerged: the impact of the 2023 earthquake in Türkiye; misused medications and user characteristics; methods of identifying individuals with SUD; strategies to combat misuse; violence and security concerns; and Ministry of Health regulations. Pharmacy workers pointed to an increased misuse of prescription drugs after the earthquake, with young adults (18–30) being a key risk group. It is recommended that such medications be dispensed only through hospital pharmacies, under strict control, to reduce misuse and enhance staff safety.
eISSN:2657-4276
ISSN:1231-1413
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