Historique
Article de Périodique
A systematic review of the motivations for the non-medical use of prescription drugs in young adults (2016)
Auteur(s) :
T. K. DRAZDOWSKI
Article en page(s) :
3-25
Sous-type de document :
Revue de la littérature / Literature review
Domaine :
Autres substances / Other substances
Langue(s) :
Anglais
Discipline :
EPI (Epidémiologie / Epidemiology)
Thésaurus mots-clés
JEUNE ADULTE
;
MEDICAMENTS
;
MOTIVATION
;
MESUSAGE
;
PSYCHOTROPES
;
STIMULANTS
Thésaurus géographique
ETATS-UNIS
Résumé :
Background: Young adults (18-25) are most at-risk for the non-medical use of prescription drugs (NMUPD). Understanding this population's motivations for use can help inform efforts to reduce NMUPD. Therefore, this systematic review synthesizes the findings from research on young adults' motivations to engage in NMUPD.
Methods: Based on PRISMA guidelines, relevant databases were systematically searched for articles that assessed the motivations for NMUPD in young adults and college-aged students. Search strings included a range of prescription drug classes and terms to ensure an exhaustive review.
Results: The search resulted in identifying 353 potential articles after duplicates were removed, and 37 articles were included in the final qualitative synthesis. Of the final articles, the majority investigated the non-medical use of prescription stimulants in U.S. student populations cross-sectionally. Seven studies, either exclusively or in combination with other medications, researched prescription opioids, and five investigated central nervous system depressants. Only one study investigated motivations over time.
Conclusion: There are many ways in which the current literature can be expanded, including researching other populations and focusing on prescriptions other than stimulants. Using the medications for their prescribed properties and known side effects emerged as a consistent theme. It was also fairly common for young adults to report recreational motives. Issues with measurement and definitions of key terms (e.g., non-medical) would benefit from consistency in future work. Research on motivations should continue and be incorporated into the larger drug use context, as well as existing prevention and intervention strategies.
Highlights:
Young adults are most at-risk for the non-medical use of prescription drugs (NMUPD).
A systematic review of motivations for NMUPD in individuals ages 18-25 was conducted.
Results revealed that much of the work is limited in scope (e.g., college students).
Using drugs for their generally known effects and recreational motives were popular.
Inconsistent terminology and temporal issues are current concerns in this literature.
Methods: Based on PRISMA guidelines, relevant databases were systematically searched for articles that assessed the motivations for NMUPD in young adults and college-aged students. Search strings included a range of prescription drug classes and terms to ensure an exhaustive review.
Results: The search resulted in identifying 353 potential articles after duplicates were removed, and 37 articles were included in the final qualitative synthesis. Of the final articles, the majority investigated the non-medical use of prescription stimulants in U.S. student populations cross-sectionally. Seven studies, either exclusively or in combination with other medications, researched prescription opioids, and five investigated central nervous system depressants. Only one study investigated motivations over time.
Conclusion: There are many ways in which the current literature can be expanded, including researching other populations and focusing on prescriptions other than stimulants. Using the medications for their prescribed properties and known side effects emerged as a consistent theme. It was also fairly common for young adults to report recreational motives. Issues with measurement and definitions of key terms (e.g., non-medical) would benefit from consistency in future work. Research on motivations should continue and be incorporated into the larger drug use context, as well as existing prevention and intervention strategies.
Highlights:
Young adults are most at-risk for the non-medical use of prescription drugs (NMUPD).
A systematic review of motivations for NMUPD in individuals ages 18-25 was conducted.
Results revealed that much of the work is limited in scope (e.g., college students).
Using drugs for their generally known effects and recreational motives were popular.
Inconsistent terminology and temporal issues are current concerns in this literature.
Affiliation :
Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, VA, USA