A new study published in the Archives of Pediatrics & Adolescent Medicine finds that teenagers living in rural communities are more likely than their urban friends to abuse prescription drugs. About one in eight teenagers use prescription opioids. The abuse of prescription drugs has become an economic, social and healthcare nightmare in this country in recent years.
"During adolescence, non-medical prescription drug use is particularly problematic given its association with use of other illicit drugs such as cocaine and heroin, as well as engagement in problem behaviors such as gambling, increased sexual activity and impulsivity. Moreover, individuals who use prescription drugs earlier in life have a greater chance of later developing prescription drug dependence," wrote the research team.
The research team, led by Jennifer R. Havens, Ph.D., MPH, of the University of Kentucky College of Medicine in Lexington, examined information from 17,872 children aged 12 to 17 that participated in the 2008 National Survey on Drug Use and Health. Of that group, 53.2 percent lived in cities, 51 percent were male and 59 percent were white. Thirteen percent of teens living in rural communities said they had used prescription drugs for non-medical reasons, as opposed to 10 percent of teenagers living in urban areas. Rural teenagers were more likely than their urban counterparts to have used pain relievers or tranquilizers for recreational purposes.
