Longitudinal trajectories of non-medical use of prescription medication among middle and high school students

Longitudinal trajectories of prescription opioid misuse in adolescents

BACKGROUND

Adolescent misuse of prescription opioids is hazardous. This study aimed to generate data on prescription opioid misuse trajectories across adolescence and identify risk factors and mechanisms for more dangerous use trajectories.

METHODS

Using a prospective longitudinal cohort repeated measures design, baseline (Fall 2013) and seven semiannual assessments were administered through Spring 2017 in 10 public high schools in Los Angeles, CA. Frequency of past 30-day prescription opioid misuse was captured. Trajectory groups were identified using growth mixture modeling and multinomial logistic regression identified associations between baseline risk factors with membership in each trajectory group.

RESULTS

Overall, 3395 students were evaluated (53.4% female, Mean [SD] age at baseline=14.58[0.40]; range=12.83-16.29). Four discrete misuse trajectories were identified among 1062 students: (1) Minimal/Experimental (infrequent time-limited use; range of estimated mean number of days using prescription opioid across waves=0.0-0.6 days]; N = 705[20.8%]); (2) Low Deescalating (range=2.0-0.7 days; N = 189[5.6%]); (3) Moderate Escalating (range=0.7-3.6 days; N = 108[3.2%]); and (4) Frequent Persistent (range=4.7-9.4 days; N = 60[1.8%]). Students reporting tobacco, cannabis, alcohol use, or impulsivity in 9th grade were more likely to demonstrate membership in the Moderate Escalating trajectory class when compared to 2333 (68.7%) students reporting sustained abstinence. Female sex, peer opioid misuse, alcohol use, other substance use, impulsivity, or delinquent behavior reported in 9th grade was associated with membership in the Frequent Persistent trajectory class.

CONCLUSIONS

Prescription opioid misuse in adolescence appears to follow 4 discrete trajectories, including the potentially problematic Moderate Escalating and Frequent Persistent trajectories. Female sex, peer influences, substance use, and intrapersonal risk factors were associated with membership in these classes.

Refilling Opioid Prescriptions After Pediatric Orthopaedic Surgery: An Analysis of Incidence and Risk Factors

BACKGROUND

Understanding which pediatric patients seek opioid refills is crucial as prescription opioid use in childhood is associated with an increased risk of future opioid misuse. Orthopaedic surgeons are optimally positioned to lead the charge in addressing the opioid epidemic. The aim of this study was to describe the incidence of and risk factors associated with requiring opioid refills after pediatric orthopaedic surgery in children.

METHODS

This retrospective case-control study included 1413 patients aged 0 to 18 years that underwent orthopaedic surgery at a single tertiary care children's hospital and were prescribed opioids at discharge. Using the state Prescription Drug Monitoring Program (PDMP) database, we determined which patients filled additional opioid prescriptions within 6 months following an orthopaedic procedure. Comparisons were made between patients that sought additional opioids and those that did not use bivariate analysis and binomial logistic regression.

RESULTS

In total, 31 (2.2%) patients sought additional opioid prescriptions a median 41 days postoperatively (range, 2 to 184). Nearly half of these patients obtained refills from providers outside of our institution, suggesting that previous reports using hospital records may underestimate its prevalence. Factors associated with requiring opioid refills included receiving hydromorphone [odds ratio (OR)=3.04, P=0.04] or methadone (OR=38.14, P<0.01) while inpatient, surgery on the axial skeleton (OR=5.42, P=0.01) or lower extremity (OR=2.49, P=0.04), and nonfracture surgery (OR=3.27, P=0.01). Patients who obtained additional opioids received significantly more opioids during their inpatient recovery (32.9 vs. 11.1 morphine equivalents, P<0.01).

CONCLUSIONS

Approximately 2% of children and families obtain additional opioids within 6 months of orthopaedic surgery. The volume of opioids during inpatient hospitalization may predict the need for opioid prescription refills after discharge. Clinicians should maximize efforts to achieve pain control with multimodal analgesia and opioid alternatives, and use caution when administering high-dose opioids during postoperative hospitalization.

LEVEL OF EVIDENCE

Level III-prognostic.

Predictors of Opioid Misuse During Emerging Adulthood: An Examination of Adolescent Individual, Family and Peer Factors

INTRODUCTION

Opioid misuse has reached epidemic proportions among emerging adults in the U.S. To inform prevention efforts, this study examined adolescent factors related to alcohol and marijuana (AM) use that are associated with a higher or lower risk for opioid misuse during emerging adulthood.

METHODS

We used 11 waves of survey data from a diverse California cohort (N = 6,509). Predictor variables from waves 1-7 (ages 11-17) included individual (resistance self-efficacy, positive expectancies) family (older sibling and important adult use), and peer (perceived norms, time spent with peers who use, peer approval) factors. Opioid misuse at wave 8 (mean age = 18.3) and wave 11 (mean age = 21.6) included heroin and nonmedical prescription drug use.

RESULTS

Initial latent growth models (LGMs) indicated that nearly all intercepts and slopes for individual, family, and peer AM factors predicted opioid misuse at waves 8 and 11. These associations were reduced to non-significance after adjusting for prior other substance use with the exception of three intercepts: positive expectancies, peer approval, and older sibling use predicted a higher probability of opioid misuse at wave 8.

CONCLUSIONS

Stronger AM positive expectancies, perceived peer approval of AM use, and older sibling AM use during adolescence are associated with a higher likelihood of opioid misuse during the transition to emerging adulthood. However, most adolescent factors were no longer associated with subsequent opioid misuse after adjusting for history of other substance use, highlighting the importance of considering the larger context of substance use in studies of opioid misuse among young people.

Developmental trajectories of illicit drug use, prescription drug misuse and cannabis practices among young adult cannabis users in Los Angeles

INTRODUCTION AND AIMS

Young adults have the highest rates of drug use and contribute significantly to the growing population of medical cannabis patients (MCP). This study examined relationships between longitudinal patterns of illicit/prescription drug use/misuse and cannabis practices among young adult cannabis users.

DESIGN AND METHODS

In 2014-2015, 210 young adult MCP and 156 nonpatient users were recruited in Los Angeles and surveyed annually over four waves. The analytical sample was limited to completers of all four waves (n = 301). Distinct developmental trajectories of illicit drug use and prescription drug misuse were identified. Fixed effects regression analysis evaluated changes in cannabis practices by trajectory groups.

RESULTS

Results supported two-trajectory solutions (high/low) for illicit drug use and prescription drug misuse. Decreases in use within all four trajectories occurred by wave 4. Low illicit drug use trajectory members were more likely to self-report medical cannabis use. Membership in both types of high-use trajectories was associated with use of concentrates and edibles. The prevalence of MCP, edibles use and cannabis days decreased significantly by wave 4.

DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSIONS

While alternative cannabis forms use was associated with membership in high drug use trajectories, self-reported medical cannabis use (not MCP) was negatively associated with high illicit drug use trajectory membership. Reductions in the prevalence of MCP, cannabis days, edibles use and other drug use by wave 4 alongside stable levels of self-reported medical cannabis use might reflect the changing legal status of cannabis in California, maturing out phenomenon and safer patterns of cannabis use.

Prescription Drug Misuse: Taking a Lifespan Perspective

Prescription drug misuse (PDM), or medication use without a prescription or in ways not intended by the prescriber, is a notable public health concern, especially in the United States. Accumulating research has characterized PDM prevalence and processes, but age-based or lifespan changes in PDM are understudied. Given age-based differences in the medical or developmental concerns that often underlie PDM, it is likely that PDM varies by age. This review summarizes the literature on PDM across the lifespan, examining lifespan changes in prevalence, sources, motives and correlates for opioid, stimulant, and tranquilizer/sedative (or benzodiazepine) PDM. In all, prevalence rates, sources and motives vary considerably by age group, with fewer age-based differences in correlates or risk factors. PDM prevalence rates tend to decline with aging, with greater use of physician sources and greater endorsement of self-treatment motives in older groups. Recreational motives (such as to get high) tend to peak in young adulthood, with greater use of peer sources or purchases to obtain medication for PDM in younger groups. PDM co-occurs with other substance use and psychopathology, including suicidality, across age groups. The evidence for lifespan variation in PDM is strongest for opioid PDM, with a need for more research on tranquilizer/sedative and stimulant PDM. The current literature is limited by the few studies of lifespan changes in PDM within a single sample, a lack of longitudinal research, little research addressing PDM in the context of polysubstance use, and little research on minority groups, such as sexual and gender minorities.

Current Evidence for Acute Pain Management of Musculoskeletal Injuries and Postoperative Pain in Pediatric and Adolescent Athletes

OBJECTIVE

Sports-related injuries in young athletes are increasingly prevalent with an estimated 2.6 million children and adolescents sustaining a sports-related injury annually. Acute sports-related injuries and surgical correction of sports-related injuries cause physical pain and psychological burdens on pediatric athletes and their families. This article aims to evaluate current acute pain management options in pediatric athletes and acute pain management strategies for postoperative pain after sports-related injuries. This article will also elucidate which areas of pain management for pediatric athletes are lacking evidence and help direct future clinical trials.

DATA SOURCES

We conducted a literature search through PubMed and the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials to provide an extensive review of initial and postoperative pain management strategies for pediatric sports-related musculoskeletal injuries.

MAIN RESULTS

The current knowledge of acute pain management for initial sports-related injuries, postoperative pain management for orthopedic surgeries, as well as complementary and alternative medical therapies in pediatric sports-related injuries is presented. Studies evaluating conservative management, enteral and nonenteral medications, regional anesthesia, and complementary medical therapies are included.

CONCLUSIONS

Adequate pain management is important for sports injuries in children and adolescents for emotional as well as physical healing, but a balance must be achieved to provide acceptable pain relief while minimizing opioid use and side effects from analgesic medications. More studies are needed to evaluate the efficacy of nonopioid analgesic medications and complementary therapies in pediatric patients with acute sports-related injuries.

Heavy Drinking and Non-Medical Use of Prescription Drugs among University Students: A 9-Year Follow-Up

Purpose: Investigations suggest non-medical use of prescription drugs (NMUPD) is associated with heavy drinking and polydrug use among university students. Our aim is to determine the prevalence of NMUPD among university students and to analyze its association with alcohol, tobacco, and cannabis use, and to study the role of the age of drinking onset. Methods: Cohort study among university Spanish students (n = 1382). Heavy drinking (HED) and risky consumption (RC) were measured with the Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test. Questions related to tobacco and cannabis consumption were also formulated. NMUPD refers to sedative, anxiety, or pain medication intake within the last 15 days without medical prescription. All variables were measured at 18, 20, and 27 years. Multilevel logistic regression for repeated measures was used to obtain adjusted OR (odds ratios). We analyzed the results from a gender perspective. Results: Prevalence of NMUPD were higher in students who already partook in NMUPD at the beginning of the study. NMUPD in women at 27 is 3 times higher than at 18, while in men it is twice. Among females, RC (OR = 1.43) and cannabis consumption (OR = 1.33) are risk factors for NMUPD, while later onset of alcohol use (OR = 0.66) constitutes a protective factor. No significant differences were found for males. Conclusions: NMUPD is prevalent among university students. RC and early onset of alcohol use were associated with higher prevalence of NMUPD in females. The prevalence of NMUPD increased with age in both sexes. Strategies for reducing risky drinking and delaying onset of drinking should be provided for university students. Pharmacists and parents should be alerted to the risk of NMUPD.

Personality and prescription drug use/misuse among first year undergraduates

Emerging adults (18-25 year olds) endorse the highest rates of prescription drug misuse. Attending college or university may confer additional risk. Previous research suggests that personality is an important predictor of many addictive behaviours. Four traits have been consistently implicated: anxiety sensitivity, hopelessness, sensation seeking, and impulsivity. Published studies on personality as a predictor of prescription drug abuse are limited, however, by a primary focus on overall prescription drug use, inconsistent operationalisation of misuse, and failure to control for alcohol use. Sample sizes have been small and non-specific. We sought to better understand how personality predicted the overall use, the medically-sanctioned use, and the misuse of prescription sedatives/tranquilizers, opioids, and stimulants. A large (N = 1755) sample of first year Canadian undergraduate students (mean age = 18.6 years; 68.9% female) was used. We predicted that: anxiety sensitivity would be related to sedatives/tranquilizers, hopelessness to opioids, sensation seeking to stimulants, and impulsivity to all three. Save for the impulsivity to opioid use path, predictions were fully supported in our "any use" model. For medically-sanctioned use: anxiety sensitivity predicted sedative/tranquilizers, hopelessness predicted opioids, and impulsivity predicted stimulants. For misuse: anxiety sensitivity (marginally) predicted sedatives/tranquilizers, sensation seeking predicted stimulants, and impulsivity predicted all three. Our models support using personality-matched interventions. Specifically, results suggest targeting anxiety sensitivity for sedative/tranquilizer misuse, sensation seeking for stimulant misuse, and impulsivity for unconstrained prescription drug misuse. Interventions with early coping skills that pertain to all four traits might be useful for preventing prescription drug uptake and later misuse.

Current State of the Opioid Epidemic as it Pertains to Pediatric Orthopaedics From the Advocacy Committee of the Pediatric Orthopaedic Society of North America

INTRODUCTION

The opioid epidemic in the United States has reached crisis proportions. Urgent response is needed. Hydrocodone in combination with acetaminophen is the most prescribed drug in the United States. The most common source of opioids available for misuse is the unused portions of postoperative prescriptions. Among high school seniors, 80% of those who reported nonmedical use of prescription opioids previously had legitimate prescriptions but recreationally used leftover doses. Roughly one-quarter of patients do not take any of their postoperatively prescribed opioids and the remainder take one-third to two-thirds of the prescribed doses.

METHODS

A summary of the literature is presented beginning from historical perspective to current status and pertinent strategies in dealing with this complicated problem. This review includes data from an electronic survey of the members of the Pediatric Orthopaedic Society of North America (POSNA) with regard to the prescriptions they would provide for 7 treatment scenarios.

RESULTS

Strategies for the preoperative, intraoperative, and postoperative phases of management of pain as well as strategies for education, research, and advocacy are presented. The Pediatric Orthopaedic Society of North America survey yielded 264 respondents. The 3 most commonly used opioid medications were hydrocodone, oxycodone, and acetaminophen with codeine, in that order, for most of the scenarios. The time period covered by postoperative prescriptions varied considerably.

CONCLUSIONS

The magnitude of this problem is overwhelming. Education of care providers, patients and families, standardization of narcotic prescribing practices which incorporate patient characteristics, and appropriate plans for disposal of unused narcotics are immediate concepts to consider in correcting this problem. Long-term issues to tackle will be changing patient a family expectations, legislation, and obtaining additional resources directed towards this issue.

School nurse experiences with prescription opioids in urban and rural schools: A cross-sectional survey

Few studies have examined the use of prescription opioids in schools. The current study aimed to: (1) describe the context within which school nurses encounter student opioid prescriptions; (2) assess school nurses' preferences for training and student education; and (3) explore urban-rural differences in school nurses' experiences and training preferences. A convenience sample of school nurses (n = 633) from North Carolina and South Carolina participated in a brief, anonymous, online survey. Qualitative data were analyzed thematically and statistical tests (t-tests and Chi-square tests) were performed to investigate urban-rural differences. Many school nurses (40.3%) had encountered a student with an opioid prescription, but only 3.6% had naloxone available in case of an overdose. Most school nurses (69.9%), especially rural school nurses, believed students would benefit from opioid education (74.9 versus 66.6%, p = 0.03). The majority of school nurses (83.9%) were interested in opioid-related training. Many school nurses encounter students with prescription opioids and would like additional opioid-related training. The potential benefits of providing naloxone access to prevent opioid-related deaths at schools should be explored.