ArticleJournal of addiction medicine
Defining Prescription Drug Misuse: A Naturalistic Evaluation of National Survey on Drug Use and Health Data From 2012-2014 to 2015-2017.
Article in Journal of addiction medicine. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 5 papers.
What it found
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The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.
The trial behind it
Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.
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Who cites it
5 citing papers in PubMed.
- Medical Use and Misuse of Addictive Prescription Drugs and Mental Health Among Adolescents in Estonia.Nordisk alkohol- & narkotikatidskrift : NAT · 2026Article
- Internet Gaming Disorder and Nonmedical Prescription Drug Use: The Moderating Role of Student Status.International journal of environmental research and public health · 2026Article
- US Adolescents' and Young Adults' Sources for Prescription Opioid Misuse: Age, Substance Use, and Mental Health Differences.Pain practice : the official journal of World Institute of Pain · 2025Article
- Article
- Heterogeneity in Prescription Opioid Misuse Motives by Age in Adolescents and Young Adults in the United States.Journal of addiction medicineArticle
Corrections and comments
PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.
Authors and funding
6 authors.
Funding
Abstract
objectivesPrescription drug misuse (PDM) is a significant public health problem. As research has evolved, the definitions of misuse have varied over time, yet the implications of this variability have not been systematically studied. The objective of this study was to leverage a change in the measurement of PDM in a large population survey to identify its impact on the prevalence and correlates of this behavior.
methodsData from the National Survey on Drug Use and Health were compared before and after a change in the definition of PDM from one that restricted the source and motive for use to one that captured any misuse other than directed by a prescriber. Three-year cohorts were constructed, representing a restricted definition of PDM (2012-2014) and a broad definition of PDM (2015-2017).
resultsSegmented logistic regression models indicated a significant increase in PDM prevalence for all 3 drug types examined (opioids, tranquilizers, and sedatives). Although the magnitude of differences varied somewhat based on drug type, the broader definition was generally associated with older age, higher prevalence of health insurance, and higher odds of misusing one's own prescription. Some worsening of mental health indicators was observed, but results indicated few other clinical or substance use differences.
conclusionsDefinitions of prescription drug misuse have a substantial impact on the prevalence of misuse and some impact on the characteristics of the population. Further research is needed to understand the optimal strategy for measuring this behavior, based on the scientific or public health question or interest.
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Registered trials
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