The Use and Abuse of Oral Contraceptive Pills Among Males: A Mixed-Method Explanatory Sequential Study Over Jordanian Community Pharmacists

The study investigated the use and abuse of oral contraceptive pills (OCPs) among Jordanian males, based on observations from community pharmacists. Utilizing a mixed-method approach, the research included 158 questionnaire responses and 22 interviews with pharmacists. The results showed that 48.4% of the questionnaire respondents acknowledged that males used OCPs for purposes such as hair growth enhancement (12.7%), muscle gain (31.7%), and acne treatment (4.4%). Interviews revealed that many males were using OCPs for bodybuilding, often following advice from gym coaches. The most commonly abused OCPs contained estrogen (Ethinyl estradiol) and progestins (Drospirenone or Levonorgestrel). The study concluded that there is a significant misuse of OCPs by males in Jordan for non-contraceptive purposes, and emphasized the important role of community pharmacists in managing this issue. It also suggested that stricter regulations and monitoring are needed to curb such practices.