Pharmacy, Health Sciences & Exercise Science

Event Title

Assessment of Knowledge and Perceptions of Prescription and Over-the-Counter Drug Use and Safety Among Indiana Elementary School Students and Parents

Document Type

Oral Presentation

Location

Indianapolis, IN

Subject Area

Pharmacy, Health Sciences & Exercise Science

Start Date

11-4-2014 10:15 AM

End Date

11-4-2014 12:00 PM

Description

According to Drug Free Marion County, more Hoosier adults have died from prescription drug overdoses than from heroin and cocaine overdoses combined. These unintentional overdoses follow a national trend also reported by the National Institute on Drug Abuse. Youth prescription drug abuse trends are also rising. The National Youth Behavior Society states that 1 in every 5 American high school students has taken a prescription drug without a doctor's prescription. A cross-sectional study asked 8th and 9th graders found that 73.7% of them had unsupervised access to controlled medications including narcotics. Another survey among 12-17 year olds in Michigan found that opioids were the most widely abused prescription drug, and that students were more likely to give away their medications than to sell or trade them. Nonmedical use of prescription medications needs to be addressed to both parents and students in order to educate both groups in the safety concerns of these medications. In the past, the problem of drugs and abuse has been addressed through prevention programs that utilized school-based classes targeting the dangers of drug use, especially focused on illicit drugs. These programs dramatized the effects of drug abuse to evoke fear. This cross-sectional survey aims to assess the knowledge and safety of prescription medications in elementary aged students and their parents before and after a drug prevention presentation directed at nonmedical use of prescription medications. We hope to direct future research and programs on this issue for both parents and students.

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Apr 11th, 10:15 AM Apr 11th, 12:00 PM

Assessment of Knowledge and Perceptions of Prescription and Over-the-Counter Drug Use and Safety Among Indiana Elementary School Students and Parents

Indianapolis, IN

According to Drug Free Marion County, more Hoosier adults have died from prescription drug overdoses than from heroin and cocaine overdoses combined. These unintentional overdoses follow a national trend also reported by the National Institute on Drug Abuse. Youth prescription drug abuse trends are also rising. The National Youth Behavior Society states that 1 in every 5 American high school students has taken a prescription drug without a doctor's prescription. A cross-sectional study asked 8th and 9th graders found that 73.7% of them had unsupervised access to controlled medications including narcotics. Another survey among 12-17 year olds in Michigan found that opioids were the most widely abused prescription drug, and that students were more likely to give away their medications than to sell or trade them. Nonmedical use of prescription medications needs to be addressed to both parents and students in order to educate both groups in the safety concerns of these medications. In the past, the problem of drugs and abuse has been addressed through prevention programs that utilized school-based classes targeting the dangers of drug use, especially focused on illicit drugs. These programs dramatized the effects of drug abuse to evoke fear. This cross-sectional survey aims to assess the knowledge and safety of prescription medications in elementary aged students and their parents before and after a drug prevention presentation directed at nonmedical use of prescription medications. We hope to direct future research and programs on this issue for both parents and students.