Educational status influences prescription drug misuse in young adults

Research conducted by Ty Schepis, associate professor of psychology at Texas State University, helps explain how educational status might influence who is more susceptible to certain drugs. 

Schepis, along with co-authors Sean Esteban McCabe, Christian J. Teter, Carol J. Boyd and Timothy E. Wilens, published their findings, "Sources of Prescription Medication Misuse Among Young Adults in the United States: The Role of Educational Status" in theJournal of Clinical Psychology. 

Prescription drug misuse (PDM) is the use of prescription opioids, stimulants, sedatives or tranquilizers that are not prescribed and are taken only for the recreational experience or feelings that they induce. According to the research, the most common source of PDM was from college students receiving prescription medications from friends or relatives. The study found that prescription opioid, sedative and tranquilizer misuse was the most prevalent among young adults not attending college, especially among high school dropouts.

Furthermore, prescription drug misusers who got their medication from theft or fake prescriptions, purchases or multiple sources were most likely to report Substance Use Disorder (SUD) in the past year, and they were likely to have the most severe overall risk of concurrent substance use and SUD.

Those suffering from PDM or SUD can visit the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services website at www.hhs.gov/opioids or call the National Helpline of the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration at (800) 662-4357 for more information about mental and substance use disorders, prevention and confidential treatment referral.