An SDSU social work student and professor explain surprising findings in a study surrounding non-medical use of prescription drugs.
“When Thomas Stewart and Mark Reed began analyzing data pertaining to non-medical use of prescription drugs, they had certain hypotheses. However, after months of careful analysis, many of their findings contradicted their original beliefs.
Stewart and Reed used information gathered by researchers at University of North Carolina to analyze non-prescription drug abuse in Americans between the ages of 18 and 25.
They found that a parent’s level of education was a stronger determinant of a respondent’s behavior than their own level of education. As their parent’s level of education increased, so did the use of non-prescription tranquilizers and stimulants.
Health insurance was negatively associated with the use of non-prescription drugs. Meaning people with better insurance and easier access to these drugs were less likely to abuse these drugs.
People who had experienced recent financial hardships were more likely than their peers to seek out non-prescription drugs.”
Read more at: http://newscenter.sdsu.edu/sdsu_newscenter/news_story.aspx?sid=75957
Source: San Diego State University – December 14, 2015
