Growing use and easy access to psychoactive substances represent a large public health and wider social problem. Occasional use of psychoactive substances usually leads to risky use, addiction and disorders, which go unnoticed by users. Although psychoactive substances are being used outside the working hours, their effects can be felt during working hours. An increased number of employers are aware of negative consequences of the use of psychoactive substances and are therefore deciding to check on their employees. Physicians, specialised in occupational, traffic and sports medicine, are also deciding for more frequent checking of subjects, who are suspected of psychoactive substance use, during preventive health checks.
In this research thesis, we present a retrospective review of data and a statistical review of samples, which have been analysed with rapid screening tests in the laboratory Holmed to determine the presence or absence of psychoactive substances and their metabolites in urine. We examined 1.452 drug tests of subjects, who were subjected to a health check at the Private health clinic for occupational, traffic and sports medicine Holmed, Ltd. between May 2016 and March 2018. During the checks, 160 subjects tested positive for at least one of the checked psychoactive substances. In the information system ISOZ21, we collected data on the subjects based on the provided anamnesis, personal medical record and findings about their state of health, determined by professional workers. In the laboratory information system L@b-IS, we reviewed the data on the presence of psychoactive substances in the sample, the results of the urine tests and haematology. The results showed that the most commonly used psychoactive substance among the subjects is tetrahydrocannabinol, spread mainly among male subject. The consumption of psychoactive substances prevails in subjects, aged 20-25 years, while the use of amphetamine prevails among subjects over 35 years. Psychoactive substances are being used particularly by subjects with primary or high school education. Most users of psychoactive substances work in production, followed by fitters, workmen working at height, welders, lorry drivers, forklift operators and public workers. In addition to the most commonly used tetrahydrocannabinol, they also often use benzodiazepines and cocaine. The subject simultaneously use more different psychoactive substances. Special attention needs to be paid to those, who simultaneously to the use of psychoactive substances experience symptoms of psychotic disorders. We identified a statistically important correlation between the use of alcohol and high haemoglobin levels. Subjects, who tested positive for tetrahydrocannabinol in urine, had statistically significant increased number of leukocytes.
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