Abstract

Prescription drug misuse has emerged as a significant problem over the past decade, particularly topical corticosteroids for skin lightening. This study aimed to assess the misuse of topical corticosteroids among the female population in southern Libya; to determine prevalence, awareness, attitude, and practice regarding this drug misuse. A descriptive, cross-sectional questionnaire was distributed on January 2022 to females aged between 16-45 years old in southern Libya. Out of 200 distributed questionnaires, 155 were returned with a response rate of 77.5%. The majority of the participants were aged 16-25 years (n=138, 89.0%) and over two-thirds of participants, said they obtained lightening products containing cortisone from pharmacies (n=107, 69.0%) while 36 participants indicated they obtained these products from cosmetic shops (23.2%). More than three-quarters of the participants said they were aware that they should read product ingredients (n=120, 77.4%). Just over one-quarter of respondents indicated they used the product on their face almost daily (n=41, 26.5%) while 28 participants denied using it (18.1%). The most common source of information about topical corticosteroids among participants was the Internet (n=51, 32.9%), followed by dermatologists (n=41, 26.5%), and pharmacists (n=31, 20.0%). Almost half of respondents were aware that topical corticosteroids can cause harmful effects (n=75, 48.4%). The most common indications reported for using topical corticosteroids were whitening (23.3%), and acne treatment (54.2%). Over two-thirds of participants, declared they would not use topical lightening products if they contained corticosteroids (n=107, 69.0%). In a similar attitude, nearly a third of participants stated that they would never use corticosteroid medications again if they knew about the negative effects of whitening (n=51, 32.9%). The majority of females, (87.7%), concur that only pharmacies should be able to sell and prescribe topical corticosteroid medications. The study's findings indicate that topical corticosteroids are frequently misused and that to lessen contraindications, especially for prolonged use, it is imperative to provide basic care to females who continue using topical corticosteroids in public or unlicensed marketing settings.