Article

Nonmedical use of prescription stimulants during college: four-year trends in exposure opportunity, use, motives, and sources.

Center on Young Adult Health and Development, University of Maryland School of Public Health, College Park, MD 20740, USA.
Journal of American College Health (impact factor: 1.45). 01/2012; 60(3):226-34. DOI:10.1080/07448481.2011.589876 pp.226-34
Source: PubMed

ABSTRACT Examine trends in nonmedical use of prescription stimulants (NPS), including motives, routes of administration, sources, cost, and risk factors.
1,253 college students.
Data were collected annually during academic years 2004-2005 through 2008-2009. Generalized estimating equations analyses evaluated longitudinal trends. Logistic regression models evaluated stability of associations between risk factors and NPS over time.
Almost two-thirds (61.8%(wt)) were offered prescription stimulants for nonmedical use by Year 4, and 31.0%(wt) used. Studying was the predominant motive (73.8% to 91.5% annually), intranasal administration was modest (< 17% annually), and the most common source was a friend with a prescription (≥ 73.9% annually). Significant changes over time included decreasing curiosity motives, increasing overuse of one's own prescription, and increasing proportion paying $5+ per pill. Lower grade point average and alcohol/cannabis use disorders were consistently associated with NPS, holding constant other factors.
Prevention opportunities exist for parents, physicians, and college administrators to reduce NPS.

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Keywords

1,253 college students
 
alcohol/cannabis use disorders
 
college administrators
 
common source
 
decreasing curiosity motives
 
equations analyses
 
intranasal administration
 
Logistic regression models
 
Lower grade point average
 
motives
 
nonmedical use
 
NPS
 
one's own prescription
 
parents
 
predominant motive
 
prescription stimulants
 
risk factors
 
routes
 
Significant changes
 
Year 4