College students' non-medical use & misuse of ADHD meds

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DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): Despite growing concerns about the non-medical use of ADHD medications by college students (i.e., using ADHD medications without a prescription), and the possible misuse of such medications by students with prescriptions (e.g., using higher doses than have been prescribed) limited information exists on the prevalence of these behaviors, the reasons students engage in these behaviors, the risk factors for these behaviors, and what the consequences may be. To address these gaps in the literature, we propose a longitudinal study of the non-medical use and misuse of ADHD medications among all entering students at 2 diverse universities - Duke University and the University of North Carolina-Greensboro. Students will be asked to complete a web-based survey pertaining to their use of ADHD medication at the beginning and end of their freshman year, and at the end of their sophomore year, so that the development of non-medical use and misuse of ADHD medication during the first two years of college can be tracked. The survey will assess frequency of use, method of administration (i.e., oral, intranasal, injection), reasons for use (e.g. to enhance academic performance, to get high, etc.), and perceived consequences of use. Other substance use, psychiatric symptoms - including ADHD symptoms - and personality characteristics will be assessed so that risk factors for non-medical use/misuse of ADHD medication can be examined. Results will provide new information on the prevalence of different types of non-medical use and misuse of ADHD medications by college students, and how this varies by gender, ethnicity, and type of institution. New information on risk factors for nonmedical use and misuse of ADHD medication, as well as the consequences associated with these practices, will also be gathered; a particular interest is whether untreated ADHD symptoms are an important risk factor for non-medical use. Finally, data on the prescribed use of ADHD medication among college students, an area where little data currently exists, will be collected. Results will inform college administrators and health providers about whether non-medical use and misuse of ADHD medications by college students represents an important public health problem, and will set the stage for subsequent investigations of this topic.