Motives for non-medical prescription opioid (NMPO) use among young people in a semi-rural Canadian Province

ABSTRACT

Objective

In Canada, young people aged 15–24 had the fastest growing rates of hospitalization for opioid poisoning in the last decade, compared to other age groups. This cross-sectional study examined non-medical prescription opioid (NMPO) use in youth and young adults in a semi-rural Canadian province.

Method

Participants completed an online survey about motives for NMPO use, and knowledge and utilization of local resources.

Results

All participants (N = 108) were self-reported opioid users between the ages of 15–25 years. The majority of participants had been prescribed an opioid by a physician in the past. Regression analysis showed that being older, having an opioid prescription, and using opioids for pain, coping, or enhancement reasons predicted higher levels of disordered opioid use. Pain was the most common motive for NMPO use and the strongest predictor of disordered opioid use. Most participants reported having limited knowledge about harm reduction resources in their communities.

Conclusions

Although the opioid crisis is a wide-spread concern, understanding why youth and young adults engage in NMPO use in local contexts may facilitate the development and implementation of resources that are more useful for these individuals, which could be scalable to other regions across Canada and internationally.

KEYWORDS:

• Non-medical prescription opioid use
• youth
• young adults

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Additional information

Funding

This project is not associated with any funding agency.