Evaluation of Urine Drug Screening for Substance Use Based on Medical Laboratory Data from a Tertiary Hospital in Istanbul

Abs tractAim: Substance use is a significant public health concern, and early detection is essential for prevention and intervention.The study aimed to assess the prevalence and demographic patterns of substance use, including polysubstance use, based on five years of urine drug screening data.Methods: This retrospective descriptive study analyzed urine drug screening results from 8,051 individuals tested between January 1, 2020, and June 31, 2024, at University of Health Sciences Trkiye, Basaksehir Cam and Sakura City Hospital.The panel included amphetamines, cannabis, opiates, cocaine, benzodiazepines, K2-3 synthetic cannabinoids, barbiturates, buprenorphine, and ethyl glucuronide.Statistical analyses used SPSS v26.0 (p<0.05).Results: Among 6,006 valid tests, 25.2% were positive for at least one substance, most commonly benzodiazepines, amphetamines, and cannabis.Females had slightly higher positivity than males; however, this difference was without statistical significance.Benzodiazepine use was significantly higher in females [odds ratio (OR)=21.4;95% confidence interval (CI): 16.55-27.75],while amphetamines were more common in males (OR=1.609;95% CI: 1.22-2.11).Positivity in individuals under 18, was 27.1%, which was not statistically significant (p=0.560).Polysubstance use occurred in 15.8% of positive cases. Conclusion:The findings reveal urgent, gender-specific risks in benzodiazepine and polysubstance use, underscoring the need for targeted prevention, improved outpatient care, updated clinical guidelines, and comprehensive monitoring systems.