Abstract
OBJECTIVES This study explored adolescents’ perspectives on prescription opioids, opioid safety and misuse, and sources of opioid information. METHODS High school students participated in focus groups that elicited information about adolescent perspectives on prescription opioids and opioid safety. Demographic information was collected. Focus groups consisted of 5 to 8 student participants and 2 moderators. Focus groups were audio-recorded and professionally transcribed. Transcript content was thematically analyzed using NVivo. RESULTS A total of 54 high school students (59% female, 44% white, 44% Latino) participated in 8 focus groups. Participants ranged from ages 14 to 18 years and grades 9 to 12. Five major themes emerged: 1) perceptions of prescription opioids and misuse; 2) prevalence of prescription opioid misuse; 3) reasons for prescription opioid misuse; 4) consequences of prescription opioid misuse; and 5) sources of medication information. Participants identified examples of misuse and reasons for and consequences of teen opioid misuse, including mental and physical health challenges, peer and family influences, and addiction. Sourceof opioid-related information included family, peers, online Web sites, and television shows. CONCLUSIONS Adolescents had some knowledge pertaining to prescription opioids, but they had misconceptions related to safety. Participants were aware of safety risks and negative consequences of misuse. Adolescents obtained medication information from various sources, including health care professionals, family and peers, and online sources. Educational efforts that target adolescents shoulprovide opportunities for addressing misconceptions about safe and responsible use of medications.
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Pages (from-to) | 133-143 |
| Number of pages | 11 |
| Journal | Journal of Pediatric Pharmacology and Therapeutics |
| Volume | 26 |
| Issue number | 2 |
| DOIs | |
| State | Published - 2021 |
Bibliographical note
Publisher Copyright:© Pediatric Pharmacy Association. All rights reserved.
Funding
Correspondence. Olufunmilola Abraham, PhD, MS, PharmD; [email protected] Disclosures. The authors declare no conflicts or financial interest in any product or service mentioned in the manuscript, including grants, equipment, medications, employment, gifts, and honoraria. This study was supported by KL2 grant KL2 TR002374-03 and grant UL1TR002373 to UW Institute for Clinical and Translational Research by the Clinical and Translational Science Award program, through the National Institutes of Health (NIH) National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences. The content is solely the responsibility of the authors and does not necessarily represent the official views of the NIH. This study was also supported by the University of Wisconsin-Madison, Department of Family Medicine and Community Health Small Grants Program and Innovation Funds. The authors had full access to all the data in the study and take responsibility for the integrity of the data and the accuracy of the data analysis.
| Funders |
|---|
| University of Wisconsin-Madison |
| National Institutes of Health (NIH) |
| National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences (NCATS) |
Keywords
- Adolescent health
- Medication counseling
- Medication safety
- Opioid misuse
- Patient education
- Prescription opioids
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Pediatrics, Perinatology, and Child Health
- Pharmacology (medical)