Henry N Young1, Farah Pathan1, Jaxk H Reeves2, Kristen N Knight2, FuNing Chen2, Elizabeth D Cox3, Megan A Moreno3. 1. Department of Clinical and Administrative Pharmacy, College of Pharmacy, University of Georgia, Athens, Georgia, USA. 2. Statistics Department, University of Georgia, Athens, Georgia, USA. 3. Department of Pediatrics, School of Medicine and Public Health, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, Wisconsin, USA.
Abstract
OBJECTIVES: This study assesses students' non-medical use of prescription drugs (NMUPD) from college entrance to graduation, and examines factors that predict NMUPD. Participants: The study was conducted between May 2011 and September 2015 with 338 students. Methods: Longitudinal cohort study design was used to examine NMUPD across time, and NMUPD-related attitudes and subjective norms. Five yearly interviews were conducted to collect data. Cox proportional hazards regression analysis was used to examine time to NMUPD. Results: Thirty-five percent of study participants reported NMUPD; the majority of those initiated non-medical use before their third year in college. Analyses indicated that more positive attitudes towards NMUPD (HR = 1.73, p < 0.001), increased subjective norms regarding NMUPD (HR = 1.01, p < 0.01), and gender (male) (HR= 1.89, p < 0.001) were significantly associated with sooner NMUPD. Conclusions: Findings suggest that NMUPD prevention efforts that target mutable factors such as attitudes and subjective norms should be implemented early during students' college careers.
OBJECTIVES: This study assesses students' non-medical use of prescription drugs (NMUPD) from college entrance to graduation, and examines factors that predict NMUPD. Participants: The study was conducted between May 2011 and September 2015 with 338 students. Methods: Longitudinal cohort study design was used to examine NMUPD across time, and NMUPD-related attitudes and subjective norms. Five yearly interviews were conducted to collect data. Cox proportional hazards regression analysis was used to examine time to NMUPD. Results: Thirty-five percent of study participants reported NMUPD; the majority of those initiated non-medical use before their third year in college. Analyses indicated that more positive attitudes towards NMUPD (HR = 1.73, p < 0.001), increased subjective norms regarding NMUPD (HR = 1.01, p < 0.01), and gender (male) (HR= 1.89, p < 0.001) were significantly associated with sooner NMUPD. Conclusions: Findings suggest that NMUPD prevention efforts that target mutable factors such as attitudes and subjective norms should be implemented early during students' college careers.
Entities:
Keywords:
Prescription drugs; college students; longitudinal; nonmedical use
Authors: Sean Esteban McCabe; Christian J Teter; Carol J Boyd; Timothy E Wilens; Ty S Schepis Journal: J Clin Psychiatry Date: 2018 Mar/Apr Impact factor: 4.384