Back

Non-Medical Use of Psychotropic Medications Among Young People in Low- and Middle-Income Countries: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

2026-01-16 public and global health Title + abstract only
View on medRxiv
Show abstract

BackgroundNon-medical use of prescription psychotropic medications (NMUPM) among adolescents and young adults in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) is an emerging public health concern. Such practices are associated with psychiatric comorbidities, increased risk behaviors, and long-term dependence. Limited access to mental health services, weak regulatory enforcement, and the widespread availability of prescription drugs contribute to NMUPM. Despite anecdotal reports, comprehensive epidemi...

Predicted journal destinations

1
PLOS ONE
1737 training papers
Top 38% 17.8%
2
PLOS Global Public Health
287 training papers
Top 6% 9.1%
3
Frontiers in Psychiatry
56 training papers
Top 0.6% 7.8%
4
BMJ Open
553 training papers
Top 25% 6.5%
5
BMC Public Health
148 training papers
Top 3% 6.5%
6
Frontiers in Public Health
135 training papers
Top 5% 5.1%
7
Addiction
24 training papers
Top 0.9% 3.9%
8
International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health
116 training papers
Top 8% 2.8%
9
JAMA Network Open
125 training papers
Top 9% 2.0%
10
BMJ Global Health
95 training papers
Top 9% 2.0%
11
Drug and Alcohol Dependence
21 training papers
Top 0.8% 1.6%
12
PLOS Medicine
95 training papers
Top 8% 1.5%
13
BMC Medicine
155 training papers
Top 20% 1.3%
14
Scientific Reports
701 training papers
Top 90% 1.2%
15
Heliyon
57 training papers
Top 6% 1.2%
16
Journal of Medical Internet Research
81 training papers
Top 14% 1.2%
17
Public Health
34 training papers
Top 4% 1.0%
18
Psychological Medicine
52 training papers
Top 6% 1.0%
19
Journal of Epidemiology and Community Health
32 training papers
Top 3% 1.0%
20
JMIR Formative Research
31 training papers
Top 5% 1.0%
21
International Journal of Public Health
17 training papers
Top 1% 0.7%
22
Frontiers in Psychology
18 training papers
Top 1% 0.7%
23
The American Journal of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene
50 training papers
Top 10% 0.7%
24
BMC Infectious Diseases
110 training papers
Top 26% 0.7%
25
Cureus
64 training papers
Top 23% 0.7%
26
JMIR Public Health and Surveillance
45 training papers
Top 9% 0.7%
27
Journal of Public Health
23 training papers
Top 2% 0.7%