NCJ Number
206948
Journal
Substance Use & Misuse Volume: 39 Issue: 7 Dated: June 2004 Pages: 1095-1116
Date Published
June 2004
Length
22 pages
Annotation
This study investigated the prevalence and factors associated with the use, misuse and diversion of prescribed stimulant medication for attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) in a sample of middle and high school students.
Abstract
This study was conducted during a 1-week period in May 2002, drawing from population of 1,723 middle and high school students from a public school district in the Detroit metropolitan area. The public school district was chosen because it was ethnically diverse. The survey used for this study was conducted over the Internet from computer labs in each of the middle and high schools, and students were excused from class in order to complete the survey. All participants were informed that a private research firm was contracted to setup the Web survey and store the data and ensure that student responses were kept completely confidential. School officials and staff were unable to access any personally identifiable information connected with the data of any respondent. The study achieved and overall response rate of 89.1 percent for students in 6th through 11th grade. Approximately 7 percent of the entire target sample was absent on the day the survey was administered. The study found that illicit use of stimulant medication was reported by 4.5 percent of the overall sample. Of students who reported prescription stimulant use, 23.3 percent reported being approached to sell, give, or trade their prescription drugs. The odds for illicit drug use were lower among African-American students and higher among those students with no plans of attending college. When compared with students who did not use stimulants, students who reported illicit use of stimulant medications also reported higher rates of alcohol and other drug use. High school students had the highest odds for being approached to divert their stimulant medications. The study’s findings suggest that community-based approaches are needed to reduce the use and diversion of stimulant medications. Tables, references