Trends in prevalence and incidence of and factors associated with nonmedical use of prescription pain relievers among adults aged 50 or older in the United States

Objectives: This study examined trends in prevalence and incidence of and factors associated with current (past-year) and previous (lifetime, but not past-year) nonmedical use of prescription pain relievers among adults aged 50 or older in the U.S.

Methods: The sample included 50,500 adults aged 50 or older from the 2002-2009 National Survey on Drug Use and Health. Descriptive analyses and multinomial logistic regression models were applied.

Results: Among adults aged 50 or older, the prevalence of past-year nonmedical use of prescription pain relievers increased from 1.0% in 2002 to 1.6% in 2009, but past-year initiation (incidence) among past-year users declined from 14.2% (annual average) in 2002-2005 to 6.0% (annual average) in 2006-2009, and 79.3% of past-year users initiated before age 50. The prevalence of previous use increased from 4.4% in 2002 to 5.8% in 2009, and 90.4% of previous users initiated before age 50. Multivariate results indicate that younger age, being less educated, reporting past-year use of marijuana or tranquilizers, having past-year substance use disorder, first marijuana use under age 25, and rating their health as fair/poor were associated with current use and previous use relative to never use. Being less educated, reporting past-year use of marijuana or tranquilizers, and having past-year substance use disorder were associated with current use compared with previous use.

Conclusions: The prevalence of past-year nonmedical use of prescription pain relievers among persons aged 50 or older increased recently as the baby boom cohort ages. Our results may help understand and reduce it among this population.