ArticleBMC public health2021
Over-the-counter analgesics use is associated with pain and psychological distress among adolescents: a mixed effects approach in cross-sectional survey data from Norway.
Article in BMC public health, 2021. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 16 papers.
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Who cites it
16 citing papers in PubMed, 39 citations in OpenAlex.
- Prevalence and patterns of over-the-counter analgesic use among health sciences students in Aden, Yemen: A cross-sectional study.Dialogues in health · 2026Article
- Use of over-the-counter analgesics in Norwegian children - a national cross-sectional study.Scandinavian journal of public health · 2026Article
- Self-medication and pain in the European Union: Gender differences and associated factors.Preventive medicine reports · 2026Article
- Headache prevalence and impact among school-aged children in a Japanese town: the AMI-GRAINES study.Scientific reports · 2025Article
- Article
- Use of Over-The-Counter Analgesics Is Associated with Pain, Stress, and Quality of Life in Norwegian Adolescents: A Cross-Sectional Study.Children (Basel, Switzerland) · 2024Article
- Chronic pain and use of painkillers, healthcare services and long-term impairment among Syrian refugees: a cross-sectional study.BMC public health · 2024Article
- Social Media Use and Consumption of Prescription-Free Medications for Anxiety, Sleep, and Pain among Norwegian University Students.European journal of investigation in health, psychology and education · 2024Article
- Associations between over-the-counter analgesics usage and symptoms of anxiety and depression in adolescents: a network analysis.BMC psychiatry · 2024Article
- Status of self-medication and the relevant factors regarding drug efficacy and safety as important considerations among adolescents aged 12-18 in China: a cross-sectional study.Scientific reports · 2024Article
- The use of youth healthcare services and its association with health-related quality of life, physical and mental health and over-the-counter analgesics use in 13-19-year-old adolescents: a cross-sectional study.BMC public health · 2024Article
- The Effects of Trade Names on the Misuse of Some Over-The-Counter Drugs and Assessment of Community Knowledge and Attitudes in Alkarak, Jordan.Patient preference and adherence · 2024Article
- Killing pain?: a population-based registry study of the use of prescription analgesics, anxiolytics, and hypnotics among all children, adolescents and young adults in Norway from 2004 to 2019.European child & adolescent psychiatry · 2023Article
- Associations between exposure to sexual abuse, substance use, adverse health outcomes, and use of youth health services among Norwegian adolescents.BMC public health · 2023Article
- Exposure to traumatic events and use of over-the-counter analgesics in adolescents: cross-sectional findings from the Young-HUNT study.BMJ open · 2023Article
- Reducing the Weight of Spinal Pain in Children and Adolescents.Children (Basel, Switzerland) · 2021Article
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Authors and funding
6 authors at 3 institutions in 3 countries.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
backgroundOver-the-counter analgesics (OTCA) such as Paracetamol and Ibuprofen are frequently used by adolescents, and the route of administration and access at home allows unsupervised use. Psychological distress and pain occur simultaneously and are more common among females than among males. There is a dynamic interplay between on-label pain indications and psychological distress, and frequent OTCA use or misuse can exacerbate symptoms. No studies have to date provided an overview of frequent OTCA use in a larger population-based study. The current study used survey data to explore associations between and the relative predictive value of on-label pain indication and measures of psychological distress, together with sex differences for weekly OTCA use.
methodsThis study included 349,528 adolescents aged 13-19. The data was collected annually between January 2014 and December 2018 as part of the Norwegian Young Data survey. Performance analysis was conducted to explore the relative roles and associations between on-label pain indication and psychological distress in weekly OTCA use. A mixed-effects logistic regression model was used to explore the unique contributions from four domains of on-label pain indication and psychological distress as measured by a combined measure of anxiety and depression (HSCL-10) and peer-bullying involvement as victims or bullies.
resultsThirty percent of females and 13 % of males use OTCA weekly. Headache is the strongest on-label pain predictor of weekly OTCA use, followed by abdominal pain. Depression and anxiety are the strongest psychological predictor of weekly OTCA use, and higher symptom levels and being female increase the strength of this association. Anxiety and depression also predict weekly OTCA use after controlling for physiological pain.
conclusionsSex, pain and anxiety and depression are inter-correlated and strong predictors of frequent OTCA use. Frequent OTCA use in the context of psychological distress may be a form of self-medication that can exacerbate symptoms and decrease psychosocial function. Longitudinal studies that explore causal trajectories between frequent on-label OTCA use and psychological distress are required. OTCA use among adolescents, and particularly among females, with anxiety and depression should be administered with caution and closely monitored.
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