Misuse of pregabalin: a qualitative study from a patient’s perspective

Abstract

BackgroundThe misuse of pregabalin has been the subject of increasing concerns for several years. The effects sought are multiple and it is rarely taken as a single drug. The most frequent association is with opioids, which may increase the risk of fatal overdose.AimIn the face of this emerging phenomenon, a better understanding was needed of the misuse situation in Belgium and to identify the people involved.MethodA qualitative study using semi-structured interviews with 20 participants who misuse pregabalin was conducted through all the French-speaking part of Belgium between August 2021 and January 2022. This proceeded to a thematic analysis method with the help of NVivo software.ResultsA profile of young users, new immigrants, mainly coming from North Africa emerged. They had in common a challenging or even traumatic migration pathway and precarious living conditions on Belgian territory. Most of them had no stable income. Pregabalin seemed to enable them to cope with their daily situation. All had psychiatric and/or somatic comorbidities for which they did not seem to benefit from adequate medical care. It seemed to lead many of them to use pregabalin as self-medication for anxio-depressive disorders and chronic pain. Pregabalin was never used alone.ConclusionThis study has highlighted a rarely documented profile of pregabalin misuse: self-medication among a group of new immigrants, most of whom have no previous history of opioid-related disorders. Measures should be taken to improve access to health and social care for this population, considering all their biopsychosocial vulnerabilities.