BACKGROUND: The nonmedical use of prescription medications among young people has escalated substantially in recent years. Certain subgroups of adolescents are at greater risk than others, including rural youth, however this has yet to be adequately quantified in Canada, and risk and protective factors in rural communities remain understudied. OBJECTIVES: The first objective of this thesis was to characterize the nonmedical use of prescription drugs in Canadian youth by age, gender, socioeconomic, immigrant and geographic statuses. The second objective was to examine time-use patterns among rural young people as they may relate to their risk of using prescription drugs recreationally. METHODS: Data were obtained from 10,429 youth in grades 9 and 10 across Canada who participated in the 2009/2010 Cycle of the Health Behaviour in School-aged Children survey. Participants documented information about their nonmedical use of opioid pain relievers, stimulants and sedative or tranquilizer medications in the past year. Cross-tabulations and multi-level regression analyses were used to determine proportions and estimate risk by demographic subgroups, and among 2393 rural youth, to examine associations with time-use patterns RESULTS: Females were 1.25 times more likely to report recreational use of pain relievers (95% CI: 1.04-1.51). Lower SES students were 2.41 times more likely to report recreational use of any type of medication (95% CI: 1.94-2.99). Pain reliever use was highest among rural youth living in close proximity to urban centres. Frequent peer time after school and in the evenings was associated with a 1.73 (95% CI: 1.10-2.73) and 2.16 times (95% CI: 1.30-3.60) increased risk of using prescription drugs recreationally, however associations were attenuated when adjusted for other risk factors. Non-participation in extracurricular activities was associated with a 50% increase in risk for nonmedical use of prescription drugs, even when adjusted for other risk factors. CONCLUSIONS: Females, those of low SES and some rural youth, especially those who do not participate in extracurricular activities, are at increased risk for using prescription drugs recreationally. Results from this thesis point to priority areas for public health and education in reducing harms associated with nonmedical use of prescription drugs. / Thesis (Master, Community Health & Epidemiology) -- Queen's University, 2013-10-01 22:39:42.815

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Northeast Tennessee has been disproportionately burdened by a high prevalence of opioid prescribing, prescription drug abuse, addiction, overdose, and Neonatal Abstinence Syndrome. The East Tennessee State University Prescription Drug Abuse and Misuse Working Group (PDAMWG) formed upon recognizing an urgent need for a collaborative, multi-faceted response to reduce prescription drug abuse. Composed of over 100 members from various agencies, organizations, and institutions, members of this highly interprofessional, university-sponsored working group include academic scholars, healthcare providers, pharmacists, elected officials, students, community members, and more. This collaboration has successfully generated multiple funded research projects and numerous evidence- and community-based initiatives targeting prescription drug abuse. This seminar will focus on substance abuse prevention, specifically the prevention of prescription drug abuse. In addition to providing a data supported summary of the epidemic in the region, this seminar will outline the historical development of the PDAMWG and describe past and present research and community-based initiatives. An emphasis will be on the continuous commitment of the PDAMWG to the development, dissemination, and implementation of evidence-based practices to reduce prescription drug abuse and improve population health in the region. This seminar will also document research as well as community-based outcomes of PDAMWG efforts. Consequently, participants will recognize the effectiveness of strong, cross-sector partnerships for population health improvement. Relatedly, participants will develop a concrete understanding of a collaborative approach that bridges academic research and community-based practice. Perhaps most importantly, participants will discover its potential for replication in other communities to support the achievement of maximum, evidence-based outcomes for various health concerns. Lastly, participants will be introduced to the underlying model of the PDAMWG, which visually depicts evidence-based strategies along the disease continuum. As a result, participants will appreciate the complexity of public health problems and the subsequent importance of a multi-pronged, evidence-based response to addressing them

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Background: University scholars and community members formed the Prescription Drug Abuse and Misuse Working Group in response to the prescription drug abuse/misuse epidemic plaguing the Appalachian region. Their collaboration has yielded no fewer than four funded and six volunteer service projects in the community. A concern voiced by key community stakeholders has been the non-medical use of prescription drugs (NMUPD) among the workforce. The team discovered that the relationship between NMUPD and workplace characteristics is understudied. This study aimed to show the overall and industry-specific prevalence of NMUPD, and to examine workplace characteristics associated with NMUPD. Methods: Data from the 2011-2012 National Survey on Drug Use and Health (NSDUH) were used. Multiple logistic regression assessed workplace characteristics on past-year NMUPD among employed adults 18 years and older, controlling for demographic variables. Results: The overall prevalence of NMUPD was 9.23% (95% CI: 8.98-9.48). The industries with the highest prevalence were: arts, entertainment, recreation, accommodation, and food services (14.48%; 95% CI: 13.70-15.27), construction (10.82%; 95% CI: 9.77-11.87), and retail trade (10.04%; 95% CI: 9.34-10.74). NMUPD was significantly associated with industry type (p Conclusions: Results suggest alcohol or drug use workplace policies and employee assistance or other counseling programs may protect against NMUPD. Workplace prevention efforts for NMUPD could benefit from incorporating these approaches.

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