Perceived Drug Use Functions and Risk Reduction Practices Among High-Risk Nonmedical Users of Prescription Drugs

Silva, Karol; Kecojevic, Aleksandar; Lankenau, Stephen E.

doi:10.1177/0022042613491099

Cited by 22 publications

(24 citation statements)

References 38 publications

(59 reference statements)

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“…11–13 As a result, young adult NMPO users are at increasingly high risk of adverse health outcomes, such as rising rates of unintentional overdose, transition to heroin use, and acquiring hepatitis C (HCV) or HIV infection. 11,12,14–17 Thus, understanding the context and perspectives of NMPO use among young adults may help to inform programs and policies designed to reduce negative health impacts (such as accidental overdose or transition to opioid dependence) for young adult NMPO users and persons in their social networks.…”

Section: Background and Objectivesmentioning

confidence: 99%

Social context and perspectives of non‐medical prescription opioid use among young adults in Rhode Island: A qualitative study

et al. 2016

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Background and Objectives This pilot study examined the context of nonmedical prescription opioid (NMPO) use and related risk behaviors among young adults in Rhode Island, a New England region with markedly high prevalence of NMPO use and overdose mortality. Methods We conducted semi-structured interviews (n = 13) with young adults (18–29 year-olds) who reported current or recent NMPO use. We also conducted focus groups (two groups, n =14 total) with professional service providers recruited from service organizations. Data were audio-recorded, transcribed, and key themes were analyzed. Results Participants discussed high levels of access to prescription opioids for nonmedical use via prescriptions originally provided to family and friends. The contexts described by participants included social environments such as parties, in which mixing opiates with benzodiazepines, alcohol or other types of drugs, and incidents of unintentional overdose were reported. Participants attributed risk for overdose to individual-level factors (eg, users who “couldn’t handle it”), rather than contextual factors, and described negative reactions to being labeled as an “addict” or “addicted.” Professional service providers had first-hand experience with young adults in treatment settings, yet limited exposure to young adults who were treatment-naïve. Conclusions Young adult NMPO users described social settings where polysubstance use and pill use were common, and highlighted an aversion to being labeled as having a substance use disorder. Scientific Significance To reduce harms of NMPO use among young adults, interventions should address the social context in which drug use and risk behaviors occur.

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Section: Background and Objectivesmentioning

confidence: 99%

Social context and perspectives of non‐medical prescription opioid use among young adults in Rhode Island: A qualitative study

et al. 2016

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“…The role of motives for prescription drug misuse among young adults, which has been investigated in prior quantitative and qualitative studies, varies depending on the type of prescription drug. For example, the most commonly cited reasons for misuse of opioids include self-medicating to relive pain, to get high, to relax, to experiment, or to monitor the intake of other substances (McCabe et al, 2007; McCabe, West, & Boyd, 2013; Zachny & Lichtor, 2008; Silva, Kecojevic, & Lankenau, 2013). Tranquilizers or benzodiazapines are often misused for their therapeutic indication, i.e.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Motivations for prescription drug misuse among young men who have sex with men (YMSM) in Philadelphia

Kecojevic

Corliss

Lankenau

2015

International Journal of Drug Policy

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Background Prescription drug misuse (i.e. opioids, tranquilizers and stimulants) has become the fastest growing area of substance abuse among young adults. Limited studies focus on prescription drug misuse among young men who have sex with men (YMSM, aged 18–29 years). Furthermore, little is known about YMSM’s motivations for misuse. The purpose of this study was to explore personal motivations for prescription drug misuse among YMSM, including the possible connection between misuse and sexual behaviors. Methods As part of a larger mixed methods study of 191 YMSM recruited in Philadelphia during 2012–2013, we conducted semi-structured qualitative interviews with 25 of these participants to gather additional contextual information about their prescription drug misuse. We conducted thematic analysis of qualitative data. Results While our results corroborated previous literature on motives for misuse of prescription drugs, our data yielded some distinct motivations specific among YMSM. These motives included social/recreational motives, facilitating sex with other men (including motives such as use of opioids for less painful anal receptive sex), and psychological motives such as depression, stress management, coping with everyday hardships (opioids and tranquilizers) or feeling more energized (stimulants). Prescription drugs were commonly misused within the broader contexts of participants' polysubstance use, adding to the significance of this problem. Conclusions Our findings offer insights into YMSM’s motivations for prescription drug misuse, and point to the importance of recognizing and addressing them. While substance use is likely related to various psychosocial issues impacting YMSM, it also may lead to significant health consequences. Results support the need to include prescription drugs and polysubstance use in harm reduction messages and treatment approaches aimed at substance using YMSM.

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“…They are also the second most common drug class through which Americans are initiated into illicit drug use; while 2.4 million Americans over the age of 12 were initiated into illicit drug use through marijuana in 2013, 1.5 million people reported that the first drug they ever tried was a PO (SAMHSA, 2014). Research has found that young adults frequently use POs nonmedically with peers in social settings (e.g., at parties, while hanging out with friends) and young people report using POs to reduce anxiety, facilitate social interactions, enhance sexual experiences, and intensify the effects of other substances (Mateu-Gelabert, Guarino, Jessell, & Teper, 2015; McCabe, Cranford, Boyd, & Teter, 2007; Silva, Kecojevic, & Lankenau, 2013). When taken in large doses or in combination with other substances (e.g., benzodiazepines, alcohol), the effects of POs may lead to drowsiness, impaired judgment, incapacitation, loss of consciousness, and overdose (Frank etal., 2015; Jones, Mogali, & Comer, 2012; Lipman, 2010; Mateu-Gelabert et al, 2015).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Sexual Violence in the Context of Drug Use Among Young Adult Opioid Users in New York City

Jessell

Mateu‐Gelabert

Guarino

et al. 2015

J Interpers Violence

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Drug and alcohol use have been associated with increased risk for sexual violence, but there is little research on sexual violence within the context of drug use among young adult opioid users. The current mixed-methods study explores young adult opioid users’ sexual experiences in the context of their drug use. Forty-six New York City young adults (ages 18–32) who reported lifetime nonmedical use of prescription opioids (POs) completed in-depth, semistructured interviews, and 164 (ages 18–29) who reported heroin and/or nonmedical PO use in the past 30 days completed structured assessments that inquired about their drug use and sexual behavior and included questions specific to sexual violence. Participants reported frequent incidents of sexual violence experienced both personally and by their opioid using peers. Participants described sexual violence, including sexual assault, as occurring within a context characterized by victimization of users who were unconscious as a result of substance use, implicit and explicit exchanges of sex for drugs and/or money that increased risk for sexual violence, negative sexual perceptions ascribed to drug users, and participants’ own internalized stigma. Recommendations to reduce sexual violence among young adult opioid users include education for users and service providers on the risk of involvement in sexual violence within drug using contexts and efforts to challenge perceptions of acceptability regarding sexual violence.

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Perceived Drug Use Functions and Risk Reduction Practices Among High-Risk Nonmedical Users of Prescription Drugs

Cited by 22 publications

References 38 publications

Social context and perspectives of non‐medical prescription opioid use among young adults in Rhode Island: A qualitative study

Social context and perspectives of non‐medical prescription opioid use among young adults in Rhode Island: A qualitative study

Motivations for prescription drug misuse among young men who have sex with men (YMSM) in Philadelphia

Sexual Violence in the Context of Drug Use Among Young Adult Opioid Users in New York City

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