Back to Annual Meeting Page		American Public Health Association 133rd Annual Meeting & Exposition December 10-14, 2005 Philadelphia, PA

Abstract #114197

Jennifer R. Havens, PhD, MPH, Carrie B. Oser, PhD, Carl G. Leukefeld, DSW, J. Matthew Webster, PhD, Michele Staton-Tindall, PhD, MSW, Hope Smiley McDonald, MS, and Abby Cosentino-Boehm, MPA. Center on Drug and Alcohol Research, University of Kentucky, 643 Maxwelton Court, Lexington, KY 40506-0350, 859-257-9063, alcose0@uky.edu

Background: Epidemiologic data have shown significant increases in prescription opiate misuse in the United States. Furthermore, treatment data demonstrate the greatest increase occurred in rural areas. The purpose of the current study was to examine trends in prescription opiate use over time among rural probationers. Methods: Participants were enrolled in a HIV intervention study for rural (n=793) probationers in Appalachian Kentucky between 2001 and 2004. Data pertaining to demographics, criminal behavior, drug use, and HIV-risk behaviors were collected using an interviewer-administered questionnaire. To ascertain prescription opiate misuse, participants were asked “how often did you use other, non-prescribed opiates in the last 3 months you were on the street before you were arrested?” Poisson regression was utilized to analyze trends in prescription opiate misuse over time. Results: Participants were primarily white (95.1%), male (66.3%), and the mean age was 33.9 years. While the characteristics of the probationers did not change over time, the prevalence of prescription opiate misuse significantly increased, with 26.5% of participants reporting misuse in 2001 and 44.3% in 2004 (p<0.001). Furthermore, the proportion of participants misusing OxyContin® also increased from 45.9% to 57.1% between 2001 and 2004 (p<0.001). Conclusions: By 2004, almost half of the participants reported misusing prescription opiates in the last three months. Despite increased monitoring of opiate prescriptions (and in particular OxyContin®) in Kentucky, the prevalence of misuse continues to rise. Further study of the characteristics of prescription opiate users may inform prevention and intervention programs, especially among residents in rural areas.

Learning Objectives:

• To recognize trends in prescription opiate misuse over time
• To identify potential avenues for prevention or intervention among prescription opiate users

Keywords: Prescription Drug Use Patterns, Epidemiology

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

I wish to disclose that I have NO financial interests or other relationship with the manufactures of commercial products, suppliers of commercial services or commercial supporters.

Recorded presentation