Sources of Prescription Medication Misuse Among Young Adults in the United States: The Role of Educational Status.

ABSTRACT:

Objective

This study examined prescription drug misuse (PDM), sources of PDM, and substance use disorder (SUD) symptoms as a function of educational status among US young adults based on a large nationally representative sample.

Methods

Data from the 2009-2014 National Survey on Drug Use and Health came from a sample of 106,845 young adults aged 18-25 years. Respondents were categorized by educational status and PDM, sources of PDM, other substance use, and SUD symptoms, with analyses performed separately for prescription opioids, stimulants, and sedatives/tranquilizers.

Results

Prescription opioid (past-year: 11.9%) and sedative/tranquilizer (past-year: 5.8%) misuse were most prevalent among young adults not attending college, especially among high school dropouts. I

SUBMITTER: McCabe SE 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC5932281 | biostudies-literature | 2018 Mar/Apr

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature