College students’ knowledge about opioids and implications for the opioid crisis

Abstract

Objective

This study assessed undergraduate unhealthy substance use, levels of knowledge about opioid pharmacology, unhealthy use and safety, and students’ perceptions about their level of knowledge.

Participants

Participants were undergraduate students at a large, private university in the Northeast.

Methods

This study employed a cross-sectional study design using an online survey. A convenience sample of undergraduate students (N = 317) described their actual and perceived levels of opioid knowledge and their self-reported substance use.

Results

Objective answers to quiz-style questions about opioids showed knowledge deficits. Participants rated themselves as slightly less knowledgeable than the “average student.” Ten percent of students surveyed had used opioids unhealthily at some point in their lifetime. Those reporting unhealthy opioid use had higher subjective and objective opioid knowledge scores.

Conclusions

University students’ subjective and objective knowledge of opioids warrants more effective and engaging substance use education on college campuses.

Keywords:

• College students
• opioids
• substance use
• drug education
• knowledge
• prevention

Conflict of interest disclosure

The authors have no conflicts of interest to report. The authors confirm that the research presented in this article met the ethical guidelines, including adherence to the legal requirements, of USA and received approval from the Institutional Review Board of University of Pennsylvania.

Additional information

Funding

This work was supported by Netter Center for Community Partnerships.