Exposure to medicines in the family medicine cabinet: is it a harbinger of later opioid dependence?

Stopping substance use disorder before it begins has been a long-standing goal of public health and prevention efforts. This article discusses the “how” and “why” of substance misuse, which is necessary to know in order to develop effective interventions. Also examined is the relationship between opioids being in the home of adolescents younger than 15 and how this correlates to developing opioid use disorder in later years.

Key adolescent risk factors shown to be predictors of later opioid dependence include the following:

Health practices of parents, specifically the presence of opioids in the home medicine cabinet at 14 years old
Health beliefs of adolescents, in particular, having a belief that there is a “pill for everything”
Health behaviors of adolescents – using alcohol before 15 years
Study results such as these are vital to support and design effective interventions to help prevent the development of opioid use disorder. Providing mechanisms for safe disposal and safe storage of prescription opioids are key components of impactful and effective prevention programs. In keeping with previous research, this study demonstrates that the risk of developing future substance use disorders can be minimized through prevention efforts at the family and school levels and through appropriate interventions.

Patient And Family Engagement: A Framework For Understanding The Elements And Developing Interventions And Policies

Healthcare exists in a constantly evolving landscape, with new data, evidence, and knowledge emerging on a regular basis. At the current forefront is a focus on engaging patients at multiple levels, while also seeking to partner with family members when appropriate. While there are various definitions of patient engagement, all center around having a partnership with the many entities involved in care, including researchers, clinical staff, administration and even those making policy.

Emerging data shows improved outcomes for patients who take an active role in the continuum of care which includes prevention, diagnosis, and treatment. This framework is a shift away from the more authoritarian approach that has marked earlier models of care. This proposed collaborative method, in order to be effective, must also keep in mind the complexities of the current system and its many constraints which include time, complicated reimbursement policies, and a costly system of health care which utilizes a wide variety of intermediaries to make decisions.

Change is often challenging, especially when it happens at the process, cultural, and structural levels. Despite the potential fear of the unknown, this article makes a compelling case that more engagement from those receiving care, along with their family members (who are also impacted as caregivers), will lead to better experiences, efficiency, and outcomes for all. 

Prescription Stimulant Medical and Nonmedical Use Among US Secondary School Students, 2005 to 2020

More than 3,000 secondary school students were surveyed to research the association and prevalence of nonmedical and medical use of stimulant ADHD medication. Self-administered surveys indicated a correlation between high rates of medical use and high rates of nonmedical use. Other risk facts included schools who had the following characteristics:

Participation in a recent prior study cohort
Parent population with higher educational levels
Located in the regions not in the Northeastern US
Located in a suburban area
Higher proportion of white students
Medium levels of binge drinking among students

The study reports a wide variation in rates of ADHD stimulant use across schools and suggests a need for increased substance misuse prevention efforts in those where there are high rates of prescription stimulant ADHD medication use.

Prescription Drugs

Approximately two-thirds of adults in the U.S. utilize prescription medications, with a disproportionate amount being used by those who are older and people with conditions which are chronic in nature. As the number of people using medications has increased, so have the number of prescribed medications per person. All this, along with technological advances, has led to increase expenditures at the individual and health plan level. This financial impact can lead to people taking less medication than is prescribed in an effort to realize cost savings. This article explores chronic conditions, consumer demographics, and how policies impact compliance.

Prescription Drug Misuse

Every medicine has some risk of side effects. Doctors take this into account when prescribing medicines. People who misuse these drugs may not understand the risks. The medicines may not be safe for them, especially at higher doses or when taken with other medicines. More