College Students' Perceptions About Prescription Drug Misuse Among Peers.

college students' perceptions interventions for drug misuse peer influence prescription drug misuse stimulants

Journal

American health & drug benefits
ISSN: 1942-2962
Titre abrégé: Am Health Drug Benefits
Pays: United States
ID NLM: 101479877

Informations de publication

Date de publication:
Mar 2021
Historique:
entrez: 12 4 2021
pubmed: 13 4 2021
medline: 13 4 2021
Statut: ppublish

Résumé

Prescription drug misuse is an escalating public health problem that is prevalent among college students. Various factors, such as sex, age, race, mental health conditions, and fraternity and sorority membership, increase the risk for prescription drug misuse. Peer influences may also pose significant risks for starting prescription drug misuse, because peers are the primary source of misused prescription drugs among college students. To examine college students' beliefs about prescription drug misuse among their peers and to understand their beliefs about the available and potential intervention efforts to reduce prescription drug misuse. We conducted a cross-sectional survey of 312 college students aged 18 to 30 years who were enrolled in a large midwestern US university. The survey included questions about the responders' demographic characteristics, beliefs, and perceptions regarding prescription drug misuse among their peers and potential reduction programs for prescription drug misuse. The respondents' mean age was 21 years, and most (65%) respondents were women. A majority (90%) of the respondents were enrolled in the university as full-time students. More than 60% of the respondents reported knowing someone with prescription drug misuse in the past 12 months. Fraternity or sorority members were more likely to report peer prescription drug misuse than nonmembers (83% vs 60%, respectively; Our findings indicate that peer prescription drug misuse is very common among college students, and the most misused drug class is stimulants. Survey respondents perceived that the current interventions used to address prescription drug misuse are not very effective or may not be targeting the right population. Peer prescription drug misuse influences college students' perceptions about the risks and harms of prescription drug misuse, as well as the need for interventions.

Sections du résumé

BACKGROUND BACKGROUND
Prescription drug misuse is an escalating public health problem that is prevalent among college students. Various factors, such as sex, age, race, mental health conditions, and fraternity and sorority membership, increase the risk for prescription drug misuse. Peer influences may also pose significant risks for starting prescription drug misuse, because peers are the primary source of misused prescription drugs among college students.
OBJECTIVES OBJECTIVE
To examine college students' beliefs about prescription drug misuse among their peers and to understand their beliefs about the available and potential intervention efforts to reduce prescription drug misuse.
METHOD METHODS
We conducted a cross-sectional survey of 312 college students aged 18 to 30 years who were enrolled in a large midwestern US university. The survey included questions about the responders' demographic characteristics, beliefs, and perceptions regarding prescription drug misuse among their peers and potential reduction programs for prescription drug misuse.
RESULTS RESULTS
The respondents' mean age was 21 years, and most (65%) respondents were women. A majority (90%) of the respondents were enrolled in the university as full-time students. More than 60% of the respondents reported knowing someone with prescription drug misuse in the past 12 months. Fraternity or sorority members were more likely to report peer prescription drug misuse than nonmembers (83% vs 60%, respectively;
CONCLUSION CONCLUSIONS
Our findings indicate that peer prescription drug misuse is very common among college students, and the most misused drug class is stimulants. Survey respondents perceived that the current interventions used to address prescription drug misuse are not very effective or may not be targeting the right population. Peer prescription drug misuse influences college students' perceptions about the risks and harms of prescription drug misuse, as well as the need for interventions.

Identifiants

pubmed: 33841623
pmc: PMC8025926

Types de publication

Journal Article

Langues

eng

Pagination

29-38

Subventions

Organisme : NIGMS NIH HHS
ID : U54 GM104942
Pays : United States

Informations de copyright

Copyright © 2021 by Engage Healthcare Communications, LLC.

Références

Int J Drug Policy. 2016 May;31:25-31
pubmed: 26919826
Drug Alcohol Depend. 2007 Nov 2;91(1):69-76
pubmed: 17624690
J Pain. 2005 Oct;6(10):662-72
pubmed: 16202959
J Am Coll Health. 2005 Jan-Feb;53(4):167-74
pubmed: 15663065
J Am Coll Health. 2008 Nov-Dec;57(3):315-24
pubmed: 18980888
Addict Behav. 2015 Mar;42:51-6
pubmed: 25462654
J Atten Disord. 2010 May;13(6):640-8
pubmed: 19465730
Addict Behav. 2008 May;33(5):713-24
pubmed: 18242002
Addict Behav. 2007 Mar;32(3):562-75
pubmed: 16843611
Drug Alcohol Depend. 2015 Dec 1;157:150-7
pubmed: 26564754
Addiction. 2017 Sep;112(9):1558-1564
pubmed: 28191702
Addict Behav. 2005 Aug;30(7):1342-50
pubmed: 16022931
Am J Psychiatry. 2018 Aug 1;175(8):741-755
pubmed: 29656665
J Addict Dis. 2010 Oct;29(4):417-26
pubmed: 20924877
Pharmacotherapy. 2010 Jul;30(7):627-31
pubmed: 20575626
J Stud Alcohol. 2003 May;64(3):331-41
pubmed: 12817821
J Am Coll Health. 2000 Nov;49(3):143-5
pubmed: 11125642
Addict Behav. 2014 Jul;39(7):1176-82
pubmed: 24727278
J Clin Psychiatry. 2018 Mar/Apr;79(2):
pubmed: 29570970
J Am Coll Health. 1999 May;47(6):253-8
pubmed: 10368559
Cochrane Database Syst Rev. 2009 Jul 08;(3):CD002209
pubmed: 19588333
MMWR Morb Mortal Wkly Rep. 2016 Dec 30;65(50-51):1445-1452
pubmed: 28033313
Addict Behav. 2012 Aug;37(8):890-9
pubmed: 22541802
Subst Use Misuse. 2017 Apr 16;52(5):555-561
pubmed: 28010163
Subst Use Misuse. 2017 Jul 3;52(8):1011-1018
pubmed: 28318363
Clin Child Fam Psychol Rev. 2015 Mar;18(1):50-76
pubmed: 25575768
Psychol Addict Behav. 2016 Jun;30(4):516-21
pubmed: 27182783
Drug Alcohol Depend. 2009 Jun 1;102(1-3):63-70
pubmed: 19278795
Drug Alcohol Depend. 2013 Jul 1;131(1-2):71-7
pubmed: 23274057
Pharmacotherapy. 2006 Oct;26(10):1501-10
pubmed: 16999660
J Am Coll Health. 2008 May-Jun;56(6):601-6
pubmed: 18477513
Addict Behav. 2017 Feb;65:264-268
pubmed: 27561432

Auteurs

Chibuzo Iloabuchi (C)

PhD Candidate, Department of Pharmaceutical Systems and Policy, School of Pharmacy, West Virginia University, Morgantown.

Eiman Aboaziza (E)

PhD Candidate, Department of Clinical & Translational Science, West Virginia University, Morgantown.

Xiaohui Zhao (X)

Consultant, IQVIA, Cambridge, MA.

J Douglas Thornton (JD)

Assistant Professor, Department of Pharmaceutical Health Outcomes and Policy, University of Houston College of Pharmacy, TX.

Nilanjana Dwibedi (N)

Associate Professor, Department of Pharmaceutical Systems and Policy, School of Pharmacy, West Virginia University, Morgantown.

Classifications MeSH