A Qualitative Study of Nonmedical Prescription Drug Use

描述（由申请人提供）：非医疗处方药使用是一个日益严重的公共卫生问题，处方药滥用率在年轻人中最高。本申请建议对旧金山弗朗西斯科的非医疗处方药使用进行为期36个月的定性研究。使用人种学抽样方法，将招募120名参与者（60名男性和60名女性）并进行访谈，这些参与者年龄在18至25岁之间，在访谈前6个月内至少12次使用三种药物组（阿片类药物、兴奋剂和CNS抑制剂）中的一种或多种药物用于非医疗目的。非医疗用途是指使用处方药，处方或非处方药，以获得高，他们所造成的经验，以提高学校/工作表现或修改其他药物或酒精使用的影响。处方药物的适应症之间的关系（例如，疼痛、睡眠障碍、焦虑症、肥胖症），以及个人因素和社会环境在造成虐待方面的作用。以下七个研究问题是有待探讨的领域：1）开始和继续使用非医疗处方药的信念、动机和感知吸引力是什么？2)非医疗处方药使用者是否将联合收割机处方药与酒精、非法药物或其他非处方药混合使用？3)使用非医疗处方药对健康、行为和社会有什么不良后果？4)非医疗处方药使用者的处方药和其他药物来源是什么？5)个人、处方药和使用或滥用药物的环境之间的关系是什么？6)在滥用的处方药类型以及获得和与其他药物混合使用的方式方面是否存在性别差异？7)互联网作为处方药的来源和关于这些药物的信息来源的作用是什么？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相关因素的现有差距。 这个定性研究项目将提供有关年轻人使用非医疗处方药的性质急需的信息。具体而言，该项目将提供关于非医疗处方药使用的健康和社会后果的信息，特别是使用对关系和生活方式的影响。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.