Abstract
Adolescence represents a vulnerable time for the development of both drug use/abuse and mental illness. Although previous research has substantiated a relationship between drug use and suicidal behavior, little research has examined this relationship with non-medical prescription drug use. Given the growing prevalence of non-medical prescription drug use (NMPDU) among adolescents, this study explored the association between NMPDU and suicidal behavior. Nationally representative data were derived from 16, 410 adolescents who completed the 2009 National Youth Risk Behavior Survey. Approximately 19.8% of participants reported lifetime NMPDU. NMPDU was associated with significantly increased odds of suicidal behavior (P < 0.01), with seriously considering attempting suicide and making a plan about attempting suicide representing the strongest correlates for males and females. Results suggest the importance of 1) continued reinforcement of drug education programs in high school begun at earlier ages and 2) mental health care and screenings among adolescents.
Highlights
Nonmedical prescription drug use (NMPDU) has reached epidemic proportions in the United States (US)
Fewer students reported fewer suicide attempts (6.4%) and injuries resulting from a suicide attempt (2.0%) than either planning a suicide attempt (11.5%) or seriously considering suicide (14.4%)
19.8% of the overall sample reported any NMPDU in their lifetime (20.6% males, 19.1% females). These estimates are consistent with some previous studies examining any NMPDU in adolescent samples (e.g. 20.9% [45]; 22% [46]), lower than results found in recent national samples (24% [5]), and higher than results found in other adolescent samples (10.9% [47]; 10%–13% [48])
Summary
Nonmedical prescription drug use (NMPDU) has reached epidemic proportions in the United States (US). Defined as intentional use of a prescription medication without a valid doctor‘s prescription [2,3], NMPDU has been on the rise since the early 1990s [4], and appears to be disproportionately affecting adolescents. According to the 2009 Drug Abuse Warning Network (DAWN), there were approximately 66,000 emergency department visits due to nonmedical use of pharmaceuticals among 12–17 year olds [6], with 95.4% of visits for drug-related suicide attempts involving pharmaceuticals [7]. Unintentional poisoning, partially driven by prescription drug overdose, was the second leading cause of accidental death among 15–19 year olds in the US [8], while suicide was the overall third leading cause of death in this group [9]
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