Jason A Ford1, Ty S Schepis2, Sean Esteban McCabe3. 1. Department of Sociology, University of Central Florida, Orlando, FL United States. Electronic address: jason.ford@ucf.edu. 2. Department of Psychology, Texas State University, San Marcos, TX United States. 3. Center for the Study of Drugs, Alcohol, Smoking and Health, School of Nursing, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, United States; Institute for Healthcare Policy and Innovation, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, United States; Institute for Research on Women and Gender, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, United States; Institute for Social Research, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, United States.
Abstract
BACKGROUND: Most research on prescription drug misuse (PDM) focuses on the misuse of specific classes of psychoactive prescription drugs among adolescents or young adults. The current research addressed important gaps in the literature by assessing poly-prescription drug misuse (poly-PDM), the misuse of more than one class of psychoactive prescription drug, across different adult age cohorts. METHODS: We used the 2015-2018 National Survey on Drug Use and Health to examine the prevalence of past-year poly-PDM and specific combinations of PDM. Multinomial logistic regression was used to identify demographic, health-related factors, and substance use behaviors that were significantly associated with poly-PDM. RESULTS: The prevalence of poly-PDM decreases with age and is common among individuals who engage in PDM. Slightly more than one in four respondents in age cohorts 18-25 (31.66%, 95% CI = 30.35, 33.00) and 26-34 (29.92%, 95% CI = 25.82, 30.12) who engage in PDM, misused more than one class of prescription drug. Additionally, poly-PDM was identified as a high-risk type of PDM as roughly 60% of adults younger than 65 who endorse poly-PDM reported having a substance use disorder (SUD). While certain characteristics (i.e., race/ethnicity, marital status, depression, suicidal ideation, illegal drug use, and SUD) were consistently associated with poly-PDM across age cohorts, other characteristics (i.e., sexual identity, income, and justice involvement) varied across age cohorts. Finally, a comparison of poly-PDM to single PDM showed, in all age cohorts, that having an SUD was associated with an increased likelihood of poly-PDM, while Black adults were less likely than whites to report poly-PDM. CONCLUSIONS: By identifying prevalence and correlates of poly-PDM across adult age cohorts, the current research has significant implications. Understanding stability and heterogeneity in the characteristics associated with poly-PDM should inform interventions, identify at-risk groups, and shape public health approaches to dealing with high-risk substance use behavior.
BACKGROUND: Most research on prescription drug misuse (PDM) focuses on the misuse of specific classes of psychoactive prescription drugs among adolescents or young adults. The current research addressed important gaps in the literature by assessing poly-prescription drug misuse (poly-PDM), the misuse of more than one class of psychoactive prescription drug, across different adult age cohorts. METHODS: We used the 2015-2018 National Survey on Drug Use and Health to examine the prevalence of past-year poly-PDM and specific combinations of PDM. Multinomial logistic regression was used to identify demographic, health-related factors, and substance use behaviors that were significantly associated with poly-PDM. RESULTS: The prevalence of poly-PDM decreases with age and is common among individuals who engage in PDM. Slightly more than one in four respondents in age cohorts 18-25 (31.66%, 95% CI = 30.35, 33.00) and 26-34 (29.92%, 95% CI = 25.82, 30.12) who engage in PDM, misused more than one class of prescription drug. Additionally, poly-PDM was identified as a high-risk type of PDM as roughly 60% of adults younger than 65 who endorse poly-PDM reported having a substance use disorder (SUD). While certain characteristics (i.e., race/ethnicity, marital status, depression, suicidal ideation, illegal drug use, and SUD) were consistently associated with poly-PDM across age cohorts, other characteristics (i.e., sexual identity, income, and justice involvement) varied across age cohorts. Finally, a comparison of poly-PDM to single PDM showed, in all age cohorts, that having an SUD was associated with an increased likelihood of poly-PDM, while Black adults were less likely than whites to report poly-PDM. CONCLUSIONS: By identifying prevalence and correlates of poly-PDM across adult age cohorts, the current research has significant implications. Understanding stability and heterogeneity in the characteristics associated with poly-PDM should inform interventions, identify at-risk groups, and shape public health approaches to dealing with high-risk substance use behavior.
Authors: William C Becker; Lynn E Sullivan; Jeanette M Tetrault; Rani A Desai; David A Fiellin Journal: Drug Alcohol Depend Date: 2007-12-11 Impact factor: 4.492
Authors: Wilson M Compton; Beth Han; Carlos Blanco; Kimberly Johnson; Christopher M Jones Journal: Am J Psychiatry Date: 2018-04-16 Impact factor: 18.112
Authors: Adam J Rose; Ryan McBain; Megan S Schuler; Marc R LaRochelle; David A Ganz; Vikram Kilambi; Bradley D Stein; Dana Bernson; Kenneth Kwan Ho Chui; Thomas Land; Alexander Y Walley; Thomas J Stopka Journal: J Am Geriatr Soc Date: 2018-11-24 Impact factor: 5.562
Authors: Noelle E Fearn; Michael G Vaughn; Erik J Nelson; Christopher P Salas-Wright; Matt DeLisi; Zhengmin Qian Journal: Drug Alcohol Depend Date: 2016-08-05 Impact factor: 4.492