Friends and relatives as sources of prescription opioids for misuse among young adults: The significance of physician source and race/ethnic differences

Abstract

Background: 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.

Keywords:

• Diversion
• prescription opioids
• source
• young adults

Author contributions

J.F. was involved in all aspects of the manuscript, C.P. and A.S. were involved in the original conception of the study and writing the introduction, S.M. was involved in all aspects of the revised manuscript, and T.S. was involved in data analysis and interpretation of the results.

Additional information

Funding

The NSDUH is funded by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA). The authors were supported by grants from the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) of the National Institutes of Health (NIH) under award numbers R01DA043691 and R01DA031160. The content is solely the responsibility of the authors and does not necessarily represent the official views of NIH. Neither NIH nor SAMHSA had any further role in study design; the collection, analysis, or interpretation of data; the writing of the manuscript; or the decision to submit the manuscript for publication.