Understanding Prescription Drug Misuse

Introduction

The misuse of prescription drugs is the taking of a medication in a dose or manner other than prescribed or taking the prescription of someone else, even if for a legitimate reason. Prescription misuse may also mean taking a drug to feel euphoria. There have been increased overdose fatalities, emergency room visits, and treatment for prescription drugs disorders for the last fifteen years. Holloway et al., (2014) assert that the misuse of prescription drugs is prevalent in adolescents. According to the National Institute on Drug Abuse (2018), nonmedical use of prescription medicine is highest among people aged between 18 to 25. Broadfield (2018) also found that younger people are at a higher risk of misusing drugs than older people. For instance, drug misuse level was highest in 2016 among teenagers aged between 16 and 19, and lowest among older people in England and Wales (Broadfield, 2018). Prescription drug abuse in the UK is on the rise. The table below shows the increase in the misuse of drugs as represented by the increase in drug-related hospital admissions in England.

Having observed that prescription drug misuse is on the rise. It is necessary to carry out a study to establish the causative agents and the effects of prescription drugs abuse in the United Kingdom. The research will be confined to the 2009 to 2018 period because misuse of prescription drugs was seen to be on the rise during this period. Therefore, this paper aims to identify research papers that are related to the risk factors of misuse of prescription drugs. Also, the research will highlight the reasons for the rise in prescription drug abuse among the youth and the necessary interventions. Additionally, this is an exploratory research and it seeks to gain the underlying reasons for the rise in prescription drugs among the youth. Therefore, qualitative research methods will be used.

Review of Selected Studies

According to Milner et al., (2014), the incidence and prevalence of prescription drug misuse (PDM) have increased at a shocking rate. Prescription drugs are now among the most commonly used illegal drugs in the United States (Milner et al., 2014). Also, PDM in the United States increased by 212 percent between 1992-2003 among adolescents. Milner et al., (2014) opine that the alarming rates of PDM among adolescents and associations between later PDM and adolescent PDM indicate that adolescence may be the crucial developmental period for prescription drug misuse. Overall, the findings of the research study by Milner et al., (2014) indicate that adolescents who abuse prescription drugs are likely to be involved in other problem behaviors. El-Aneed et al., (2015) in their research outline the methods of drug diversion and explore the general role of a pharmacy network as a way of reducing drug diversion towards the use of illegal drugs. El-Aneed et al., (2015) opine that abuse of prescription drugs in a new issue in North America, and that prescription medication have replaced street drugs in major cities in Canada. They add drug abuse is adversely affecting Canadians with over 1000 deaths in 2002. Also, prescription drug abusers have diverse and complicated health need and need attention from both the health and social systems (El-Aneed et al., 2015).

The misuse of prescription stimulants such as Ritalin and Adderall is a rising negative health behavior among undergraduate students (Galluccia et al., 2015). The purpose of the study by Galluccia et al., (2015) sought to validate a survey to evaluate the misuse of prescription stimulants associated theory of planned behavior constructs. These drugs are used to treat the symptoms of hyperactivity and attention-deficit hence they have become more popular among college students who want to increase their wakefulness and concentration (Galluccia et al., 2015). The effects of prescription stimulants are similar to the reaction of street drugs in promoting the absorption and production of dopamine (Galluccia et al., 2015). Galluccia et al., (2015) found that the rate of misuse of prescription stimulants was that rates that were previously published. Larson et al., (2014) also examined whether there is a disparity in selected risk behavior engagement among high school students who report that they are misusing prescription drugs. This study found that there is a characteristic subgroup among adolescents who abuse prescription drugs. Larson et al., (2014) posit that there is a high prevalence of misuse of prescription drugs, and outranks the use of cocaine, heroin, inhalants, and hallucinogens among adolescents. The misuse of prescription drugs is linked to various problems relating to psychological, physical disorders, health, social relationships, and wider economic and societal problems (Holloway et al., 2014). In their study, Holloway et al., (2014) opine that misuse of prescription drugs is a significant problem among university students. University students are at high risk of abusing prescription drugs because of the stress of academic work, and their age is close to the age when many people begin abusing drugs (Holloway et al., 2014). The research found that two-thirds of people reporting misuse of drugs misused prescription drugs. Finally, Cooper (2013) in his research study, reports on a qualitative study that examined the views and experiences of community pharmacy workers regarding the current concerns and practices, support and management relating to over-the-counter drug abuse. He asserts that there are rising concerns that some drugs bought over the counter may be abused or misused, and result in fatalities or addiction. This study suggests that aside from prescription drugs, people also misuse over the counter drugs. Regarding intervention, Zahradnik et al., (2016) found that little intervention based on motivational interviewing is efficient in reducing prescription drugs used in patients who are not seeking treatment. According to Zahradnik et al., (2016), there is an approximated prevalence of 4.7 percent of prescription drugs misuse, and prescription drugs specific disorders are more prevalent in general hospitals in comparison to the general population. As mentioned, brief intervention given in general hospitals may be essential to promote reduction or discontinuation of misuse of prescription drugs.

From the above literature review, it is clear that the abuse or misuse of prescription drugs is rising among young people. Prescription drug misuse is the fastest increasing drug problem, and it is immensely affecting teenagers. One reason for the rise in the abuse of prescription drugs is the misperception that they are less harmful or safer to people than other street drugs. However, there are many long-term and short-term health consequences when prescription drugs are misused.

Conclusion

In this paper, the researcher provided evidence of the extent to which prescription drug abuse has prevalent. Analysis of the above journals has established that abuse or misuse of prescription drugs is on the rise. The significance of this research is that it will help to find ways of dealing with the rise in prescription drug misuse, especially, among the youth.

References

Cooper, R., 2013. Surveillance and uncertainty: community pharmacy responses to over the counter medication use. Health and Social Care in the Community, LII(3), pp. 254-262.

Galluccia, A., Martinb, R., Beaujean, A. & Usdan, S., 2015. An examination of the misuse of prescription stimulants among college students using the theory of planned behavior. Psychology, Health & medicine, LI(2), pp. 217-226.

Holloway, K. R., Bennett, T. H., Parry, O. & Gorden, C., 2014. Characteristics and consequences of prescription drug misuse among university students in the United Kingdom. Journal of Substance Use, XIX(1), pp. 156-163.

Krause, J., Clark, J. & Saunders., L., 2015. Pain medication misuse among participants with spinal cord injury. International Spinal Cord Society, LXXXIV(4), pp. 630-635.

Larson, B. K., Eisenberg, M. E. & Resnick, M. D., 2014. Engagement in risk behaviors among adolescents who misuse prescription drugs: Evidence for subgroups of misusers. Journal of Substance Use, XIX(4), pp. 334-339.

Milner, L. A., Ham, L. S. & Zamboanga, B. L., 2014. Adolescents misusing prescription drugs: who’s the riskiest users of them all?. Journal of Substance Use, II(19), pp. 68-74.

National Institute on Drug Abuse, 2018. Misuse of Prescription Drugs, New York: National Institute on Drug Abuse.

Zahradnik, A. et al., 2016. Randomized controlled trial of a brief intervention for problematic prescription drug use in non-treatment seeking patients. Addiction Research Report, V(3), pp. 58-63.