Friends and relatives as sources of prescription opioids for misuse among young adults: The significance of physician source and race/ethnic differences.

Background: Given the public health issues associated with prescription opioid misuse, there is surprisingly little research on sources of prescription opioids for misuse. We know that free from friends/relatives is the most common source, that source is associated with patterns of misuse, and that sources vary based on the sociodemographic characteristics. The current research assesses how friends/relatives obtain the prescription opioids they freely share with others.
Methods: Data were from the 2009-2014 National Survey on Drug Use and Health and focused on respondents aged 18 to 25 (N = 106,845), as they report the highest prevalence of opioid misuse and are also more likely to obtain prescription opioids free from friends/relatives. Analyses used weighted cross-tabulations and design-based logistic regression to examine the relationships between sources of prescription opioids shared by friends/relatives and sociodemographic characteristics, substance use disorders, and risk behavior.
Results: The most common source was from one physician (68.8%), and 18.4% of respondents reported multiple sources of opioids. We also found significant differences in friend/relative sources based on school enrollment, sex, and race/ethnicity of the person obtaining the opioids. Notably, white respondents were more likely to report theft/fake prescription, purchases, and multiple sources. Finally, friend/relative sources were significantly associated with substance use disorders and other risk behaviors. Conclusions: The current research assesses the sharing of prescription opioids between friends/relatives, highlights physicians as a major source, and identifies whites as a vulnerable group. Policy implications associated with the sharing of prescription opioids among friends/relatives are discussed.