Psychiatric polypharmacy in adult patients at the only referral psychiatric institute in Botswana: A cross-sectional study
- 1Department of Psychiatry, Faculty of Medicine, University of Botswana, Gaborone, Botswana
Abstract
Background: Despite growing acceptance in some clinical settings, its risks necessitate caution due to adverse effects, drug interactions, and poor adherence. We aimed to find the prevalence, patterns, and predictors of psychiatric polypharmacy among adults at Sbrana Psychiatric Hospital (SPH) in Lobatse, Botswana. Methods: This cross-sectional study involved the collection of demographic and clinical data via interviews and medical records from 300 participants at SPH, which were subsequently analyzed using multivariable logistic regression. Results: The mean age of participants was 36.5 years (SD 12.1), and they were predominantly male (55.3%). The overall prevalence of psychiatric polypharmacy was 49.7%, with the most prevalent subtype being multi-class polypharmacy (79.2%). Inpatients (Adjusted Odds Ratio [AOR] = 5.00; 95% Confidence Interval [CI]: 2.70,9.25), individuals with substance use disorder (AOR = 4.60; 95% CI: 1.18, 1.18,17.86), and those diagnosed with bipolar mood disorder (AOR = 2.67; 95% CI: 1.49,4.80) exhibited significant associations with psychiatric polypharmacy. Conclusions: Psychiatric polypharmacy is common in this group, mostly due to bipolar disorder or substance use disorders. It is crucial to identify high-risk patients for reviews and to train clinicians in rational prescribing to improve medication use and minimize risks in Botswana.
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BibTeX
@article{kinsman2026psychiatric,
title = {{Psychiatric polypharmacy in adult patients at the only referral psychiatric institute in Botswana: A cross-sectional study}},
author = {Boikhutso Changu Kinsman and Hlanganiso Roy and Anthony A. Olashore},
journal = {PLOS One},
year = {2026},
month = sep,
doi = {10.1371/journal.pone.0359278},
url = {https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0359278},
note = {CC BY 4.0},
}
RIS
TY - JOUR
TI - Psychiatric polypharmacy in adult patients at the only referral psychiatric institute in Botswana: A cross-sectional study
AU - Boikhutso Changu Kinsman
AU - Hlanganiso Roy
AU - Anthony A. Olashore
PY - 2026
DA - 2026/09/25
JO - PLOS One
DO - 10.1371/journal.pone.0359278
UR - https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0359278
AB - Background: Despite growing acceptance in some clinical settings, its risks necessitate caution due to adverse effects, drug interactions, and poor adherence. We aimed to find the prevalence, patterns, and predictors of psychiatric polypharmacy among adults at Sbrana Psychiatric Hospital (SPH) in Lobatse, Botswana. Methods: This cross-sectional study involved the collection of demographic and clinical data via interviews and medical records from 300 participants at SPH, which were subsequently analyzed using multivariable logistic regression. Results: The mean age of participants was 36.5 years (SD 12.1), and they were predominantly male (55.3%). The overall prevalence of psychiatric polypharmacy was 49.7%, with the most prevalent subtype being multi-class polypharmacy (79.2%). Inpatients (Adjusted Odds Ratio [AOR] = 5.00; 95% Confidence Interval [CI]: 2.70,9.25), individuals with substance use disorder (AOR = 4.60; 95% CI: 1.18, 1.18,17.86), and those diagnosed with bipolar mood disorder (AOR = 2.67; 95% CI: 1.49,4.80) exhibited significant associations with psychiatric polypharmacy. Conclusions: Psychiatric polypharmacy is common in this group, mostly due to bipolar disorder or substance use disorders. It is crucial to identify high-risk patients for reviews and to train clinicians in rational prescribing to improve medication use and minimize risks in Botswana.
SN - 1932-6203
ER -