Misuse of medication in adult substance misuse services: a systematic review protocol

Introduction There is a growing concern about the misuse of over counter (OTC) and prescription only medication (POM) because impact on physical mental health, drug interactions, overdoses drug-related deaths. These medicines include opioid analgesics, anxiolytics such as pregabalin diazepam antidepressants. This protocol outlines how systematic review will be undertaken (during June 2021), which aims to examine literature pattern OTC POM among adults who are accessing substance treatment services. It types being taken, prevalence demographic characteristics people access Methods analysis An electronic search conducted Cochrane, OVID Medline, Pubmed, Scopus Web Science databases well grey literature. Two independent reviewers conduct initial title abstract screenings, using predetermined criteria for inclusion exclusion. If selected inclusion, full-text data extraction pilot-tested form. A third reviewer resolve disagreements if consensus cannot reached. Quality risk bias assessment all included studies. qualitative synthesis summary provided. possible, meta-analysis with heterogeneity calculation conducted; otherwise, Synthesis Without Meta-analysis quantitative data. The reporting this follows Preferred Reporting Items Systematic Reviews Meta-Analyses. Ethics dissemination Ethical approval not required. Findings peer reviewed, published shared verbally, electronically in print, interested clinicians policymakers. PROSPERO registration number CRD42020135216.