ArticleDrug and alcohol review2026
Prevalence and Patterns of Non-Medical Gabapentinoid Use in a General Population Sample: Findings From the Australian National Drug Strategy Household Survey.
Article in Drug and alcohol review, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.
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Abstract
introductionGabapentinoid prescribing and related harms are increasing internationally, yet population-level evidence on non-medical use in Australia is lacking. This study estimated the prevalence and correlates of past-year non-medical gabapentinoid use and examined temporal trends.
methodsData were pooled from the 2016, 2019 and 2022-2023 National Drug Strategy Household Surveys (N = 67,103). Analyses applied person-level survey weights and accounted for the complex design. Weighted descriptive, trend and multinomial logistic regression analyses were conducted, with covariates prespecified using a directed acyclic graph.
resultsPast-year non-medical gabapentinoid use among Australians aged ≥ 14 years increased from 0.06% in 2016 to 0.15% in 2022-2023 (Adjusted Wald F = 5.86, p = 0.016; OR = 1.57, 95% CI 1.09, 2.25). Among those reporting any non-medical pain medication use, the proportion involving gabapentinoids rose from 1.7% to 9.3%. Individuals reporting non-medical gabapentinoid use were more likely to report chronic pain (adjusted relative risk ratio [aRRR] = 5.66, 95% CI 3.18, 10.08), high psychological distress (aRRR = 4.26, 95% CI 2.31, 7.84), and socioeconomic disadvantage (aaRRR = 3.45, 95% CI 1.91, 6.27), compared to those reporting no non-medical pain medication use. Most (71%) also reported non-medical opioid use. DISCUSSION AND
conclusionsAlthough non-medical gabapentinoid use remains uncommon in Australia, its prevalence is increasing. Findings are consistent with non-medical use occurring in the context of unmet pain and mental health needs rather than predominantly recreational use. Enhanced prescriber awareness, harm reduction initiatives, and expanded access to non-pharmacological pain and mental health care are needed.
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