A Qualitative Study of Nonmedical Prescription Drug Use

描述(由申请人提供)：非医疗处方药的使用是一个日益严重的公共卫生问题，处方药滥用的比率在年轻人中最高。这项申请提出了一项为期36个月的旧金山非医疗处方药使用的定性研究。使用人种学抽样方法，120名参与者(60名男性和60名女性)将被招募并接受采访，他们年龄在18岁至25岁之间，在采访前的六个月内至少12次使用来自三个药物组的一种或多种药物(阿片类药物、兴奋剂和中枢神经系统抑制剂)用于非医疗目的。非医疗用途被定义为使用处方药，无论是否开处方，都是为了兴奋，为了体验(S)，为了提高学习/工作表现，或者改变其他药物或酒精使用的影响。将审查开药的适应症(如疼痛、睡眠障碍、焦虑症、肥胖)与导致滥用的个人因素和社会环境的作用之间的关系。以下七个研究问题是有待探索的领域：1)开始和继续使用非医疗处方药的信念、动机和感知的吸引力是什么？2)非医疗处方药使用者是否将处方药与酒精、非法药物或其他非处方药结合在一起？3)非医疗处方药使用会对健康、行为和社会产生什么不利影响？4)非医疗处方药使用者的处方药和其他药物的来源是什么？5)个人、处方药、以及药物被使用或滥用的环境？6)滥用处方药的类型以及它们获得和与其他药物结合的方式是否存在性别差异？7)互联网既是处方药的来源，又是有关这些药物的信息来源，其作用是什么？通过将我们的调查范围限制在年轻的非医疗处方药使用者，我们将解决现有文献中关于非医疗处方药使用与不良健康、行为和社会后果之间潜在关联的因素的空白。 这一定性研究项目将提供有关年轻人非医疗处方药使用性质的迫切需要的信息。具体地说，该项目将提供关于使用非医疗处方药的健康和社会后果的信息，特别是关于使用对关系和生活方式的影响的信息。这项拟议研究的结果将有助于为非医疗处方药滥用者制定有效的预防和治疗干预措施，并有助于改善综合保健和药物治疗服务。

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): Nonmedical prescription drug use is an increasing public health problem with the rates of prescription drug abuse highest among young adults. This application proposes a 36-month qualitative study of nonmedical prescription drug use in San Francisco. Using ethnographic sampling methods, 120 participants will be recruited (60 men and 60 women) and interviewed who are between the ages of 18 and 25 and have used one or more drugs from three drug groups (opiates, stimulants and CNS depressants) for nonmedical purposes at least 12 times in the six months prior to interview. Nonmedical use is defined as the use of prescription drugs, prescribed or not, to get high, for the experience(s) they cause, to enhance school/work performance or to modify the effects of other drug or alcohol use. The relationship between the indication for which the medication was prescribed (e.g., pain, sleep disorder, anxiety disorder, obesity) and the role of individual factors and social settings that contribute to abuse will be examined. The following seven research questions are areas to be explored: 1) What are the beliefs, motivations and perceived attractions for initiation and continuation of nonmedical prescription drug use? 2) Do nonmedical prescription drug users combine prescribed drugs with alcohol, illegal drugs or other not prescribed drugs? 3) What are the adverse health, behavioral and social consequences of nonmedical prescription drug use? 4) What are nonmedical prescription drug users' sources for prescription and other drugs? 5) What is the relationship between the individual, the prescription drug, and the setting in which the drug is used or misused? 6) Are there gender differences in the types of prescription drugs misused and the way they are acquired and combined with other drugs? 7) What is the role of the Internet as both a source of prescription drugs and a source of information about those drugs? By limiting the scope of our investigation to young nonmedical prescription drug users, we will address a current gap in the extant literature regarding factors underlying the association between nonmedical prescription drug use and adverse health, behavioral and social consequences. This qualitative research project will provide much needed information about the nature of nonmedical prescription drug use among young adults. Specifically, this project would provide information regarding the health and social consequences of nonmedical prescription drug use and in particular, the impact of use on relationships and lifestyles. Findings from this proposed study would aid in the development of effective prevention and treatment interventions for nonmedical prescription drug abusers and contribute to the improvement of integrated health care and drug treatment services.