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. 2011 Jul-Sep;30(3):203-15.
doi: 10.1080/10550887.2011.581984.

Prevalence and correlates of prescription drug misuse among young, low-income women receiving public healthcare

Abbey B Berenson  1 , Mahbubur Rahman
Affiliations

Prevalence and correlates of prescription drug misuse among young, low-income women receiving public healthcare

Abbey B Berenson et al. J Addict Dis. 2011 Jul-Sep.

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to examine the prevalence and correlates of prescription drug misuse among young, low-income women seeking care at a public clinic in Texas. Collected data on 2,976 women included frequency of use, demographic and reproductive characteristics, religiosity, smoking history, concurrent substance use, depressive symptoms, perceived stress, health beliefs, and exposure to traumatic events. Overall, 30% reported ever misusing a prescription drug and 15% reported misuse in the past year. Women who initiated sexual intercourse at younger than 15 years, used illicit drugs, and smoked everyday were more likely to have misused prescription drugs. Higher trauma, stress, and posttraumatic stress scores also were associated with ever misusing prescription drugs. This study adds to limited data available on medication misuse by young women who have few resources and demonstrates needs for prevention efforts in public clinics.

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Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Prevalence of prescription drug misuse based on type and timing of use
Figure 2
Figure 2
Frequency of prescription drug misuse in last 30 days among ever users
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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