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What is the Problem & What Can We Do?

Adolescent Use of Prescription Drugs. What is the Problem & What Can We Do?. Presented by Joël L. Phillips, CARS, Executive Director CDE- County Coordinators Meeting September 22, 2009. Overview. Background Information Prescription drugs Prevalence Misconceptions Accessibility

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What is the Problem & What Can We Do?

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  1. Adolescent Use of Prescription Drugs What is the Problem & What Can We Do? Presented by Joël L. Phillips, CARS, Executive Director CDE- County Coordinators Meeting September 22, 2009

  2. Overview • Background Information • Prescription drugs • Prevalence • Misconceptions • Accessibility • What Can Be Done? • General • Coordinator specific • Next Steps

  3. What Are Prescription Drugs/OTC? • Prescription Drugs: A drug only available by authorization from a health care provider. • Pain Relievers (Opiates/Narcotics- Prescribed for pain control/relief) • Depressants (Sedatives/Tranquilizers- Prescribed for anxiety/ sleep difficulties) • Stimulants (Prescribed for hyperactivity/obesity) • OTC (Over the Counter): Are medications available without prescriptions. • Used for a range of problems • Colds, sleep disorder, diets, allergies, motion sickness

  4. What Types of Prescription and OTC Drugs Are Most Often Misused?

  5. What is Prescription Drug Misuse? • Use of medications in a way that is not prescribed by a licensed health care provider. • Using drugs prescribed to others. • Using drugs in a way not directed by a doctor.

  6. Prevalence • National • Nearly 1 in 5 teens (19% or 4.5 million) have used prescription drugs to get high. • 1 in 10 teens (10% or 2.4 million) reported using cough medicine to get high. • 7 of the top 10 drugs abused by 12th graders are prescription drugs or OTC medications. • 2007 MTF – 1 in 10 seniors used Vicodin and over 5% used OxyContin • California • Prescription drug use is accelerating (over 2 time periods- css data) • Prescription drug use exceed all other drugs other than marijuana

  7. Major Findings on PDM Use • Pain relievers are most widely used of all prescription drugs across all populations. • PDM is closely associated with age – percentage rates increase among youth as they get older – peaking in their late teens (18-20) falling off after 20. • Older adults exhibit lower rates of misuse – however because there are more of them, results in greater overall use. • Whites are predominately the users of prescription drugs (approximately 75%). • Young females (12-17) use slightly more than young males. This changes as they get older.

  8. Major Findings on PDM Use

  9. What’s the Problem with Adolescents and Prescription Drugs? • More youths are using prescription drugs at an increasing rate • Considerable misconceptions • Dangers– present/future

  10. Why Do Youth Use? • Availability/Accessibility high • Effects • Belief its safer, less risky • Boredom • Deal with adolescent stress • Competitive pressure; Help with school work (Academic Doping) • Party culture (Pharming) • Attain “ideal” physical appearance

  11. Youth Misconceptions • 40% believe prescription drugs are “safer” than illicit. • 30% believe there’s “nothing wrong” using prescription drugs. • 29% believe they are not addictive • 55% believe there is no harm in using prescription drugs

  12. How Do Youth Obtain Prescription Drugs? • From 2007 NSDUH: • 56.5% got them from someone they know • 18.1% obtained them from a physician • 4.1% purchased them from a “dealer” • .5% bought them on the Internet • From 2005 PATS Survey: • 60% of teens say they are easy to obtain from parents medicine cabinet • 50% from other peoples prescriptions • More than 50% of teens said “they are available everywhere” • Another Survey: • 1 in 4 kids with a legitimate prescription had been approached by others.

  13. What Can We Do? • Increase Awareness at Schools-(Administrators/Teachers/Students) • How? • Website • Informational brochures • Training programs (for Teachers/Prevention Educators) • Engage Youth • How? • Developing materials (posters, informational flyers) • Social marketing campaigns • Parental Awareness • How? • PTA • Informational brochures • Website • Restricting Availability/Access • How? • Active parental involvement • Safeguard procedures (know your drugs!)

  14. What Can You (Coordinators) Do? • Communicate with school prevention educators • Present them factsheets • Direct them to website • Offer training PowerPoint • Work with schools on developing a plan of action • Awareness campaign (teachers/students) • Involving parents (PTA) • Enhancing prevention curriculum • If applicable, work with local SAPs • Screening Assessments include PDM

  15. Tools • Handouts • Getting Results paper • CARS – Teen PDM – what can you do. • Website • Training materials (PowerPoint)

  16. PDM Website

  17. Next Steps • Input from coordinators (today) • Work with CDE

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