Friends and Relatives as Sources of Prescription Opioids for Misuse among Young Adults: The Significance of Physician Source and Race/Ethnic Differences
Restricted accessResearch articleFirst published online January, 2020
Friends and Relatives as Sources of Prescription Opioids for Misuse among Young Adults: The Significance of Physician Source and Race/Ethnic Differences
Given the public health issues associated with prescription opioid misuse, there is surprisingly little research on sources of prescription opioids for misuse. We know that free from friends/relatives is the most common source, that source is associated with patterns of misuse, and that sources vary based on the sociodemographic characteristics. The current research assesses how friends/relatives obtain the prescription opioids they freely share with others.
Methods
Data were from the 2009–2014 National Survey on Drug Use and Health and focused on respondents aged 18 to 25 (N = 106,845), as they report the highest prevalence of opioid misuse and are also more likely to obtain prescription opioids free from friends/relatives. Analyses used weighted cross-tabulations and design-based logistic regression to examine the relationships between sources of prescription opioids shared by friends/relatives and sociodemographic characteristics, substance use disorders, and risk behavior.
Results
The most common source was from one physician (68.8%), and 18.4% of respondents reported multiple sources of opioids. We also found significant differences in friend/relative sources based on school enrollment, sex, and race/ethnicity of the person obtaining the opioids. Notably, white respondents were more likely to report theft/fake prescription, purchases, and multiple sources. Finally, friend/relative sources were significantly associated with substance use disorders and other risk behaviors.
Conclusions
The current research assesses the sharing of prescription opioids between friends/relatives, highlights physicians as a major source, and identifies whites as a vulnerable group. Policy implications associated with the sharing of prescription opioids among friends/relatives are discussed.
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