Selected Cognitive Functions and Activities of Daily Living in Patients with Prescription Drug Use Disorders
BACKGROUND: Prescription drug use disorders are increasingly becoming a reason for people contacting addiction services. The onset is often slow and not obvious. People can be very good at hiding the problem from their social environment. When overused, psychoactive medications, particularly sedatives, hypnotics, and/or opioid analgesics, may cause a range of severe health and social difficulties. Some of these issues may be due to cognitive function deficits or impairments which are reflected in various ways in the daily functioning of an individual.
AIM: The aim of the research is to describe cognitive functions in the users of selected groups of psychoactive prescription drugs and explore any associations between their cognitive deficits and abilities to perform activities of daily living. The main outcomes of the research will include a review study and data analysis.
METHODS: A test battery was chosen to a conduct general assessment of cognitive functions in patients with a demonstrated addiction to psychoactive medication. The testing methods will be evaluated according to the process manual for each test. A combination of a descriptive approach and partial procedures involved in qualitative data analysis will be used for qualitative analysis.
DISCUSSION: Studies show that prescription drug use disorders may interfere dramatically with activities of daily living, including impairments affecting attention, memory, planning, and decision making, which has an adverse impact on patients’ quality of life. In the Czech Republic, the number of individuals with prescription drug addiction is growing in the long term. Our research highlights the need for a multifactorial approach to the treatment of this type of drug use disorder, as it is key to patients’ effective rehabilitation and their return to normal life. Finally, it points out the importance of integrating occupational therapists in treatment, which is a practice that remains underdeveloped in the Czech Republic.
