Research

Rural Teens More Likely To Use Prescription Drugs

LEXINGTON, Ky. (Nov. 1, 2010) − Rural teens are more likely to use prescription drugs for non-medical reasons than teens in urban environments, according to a study conducted by researchers at the University of Kentucky.
 

The study, led by Dr. Jennifer R. Havens, professor of epidemiology in the UK College of Medicine Department of Behavioral Science, was released online today and will appear in the March 2011 issue of Archives of Pediatrics & Adolescent Medicine, one of the JAMA/Archives journals.
 

Researchers analyzed data from 17,872 12- to 17-year-olds participating in the 2008 National Survey on Drug Use and Health.
 

There were no differences between urban and rural youth in rates of any illicit drug use, including marijuana, cocaine, heroin and hallucinogens. However, 13 percent of rural teens reported ever having used prescription drugs for non-medical purposes, compared with 10 percent of urban teens.
 

When the researchers assessed specific medication types, they found rural teens were more likely to have used pain relievers (11.5 percent vs. 10.3 percent) or tranquilizers (3.5 percent vs. 2.5 percent) non-medically.
 

Rural teens were more likely to misuse prescription drugs if they reported poorer health, episodes of depression or other substance abuse. Residing in a household with two parents was associated with a 32 percent reduction in the odds of non-medical prescription drug use. Enrollment in school was also a protective factor.