Background: Prescription drug monitoring programs (PDMPs) are state-level databases that track and inform prescribing practices to reduce prescription drug diversion and misuse. To our knowledge, only three studies have examined the impact of PDMPs on opioid-related outcomes among adolescents, and none have focused on prescription pain medication misuse among adolescents.
Methods: This study leveraged data from the 2019 National Youth Risk Behavior Survey (YRBS) to explore the associations between five categories of PDMP dimensions and the prevalence of self-reported prescription pain medication misuse. Demographic factors' associations with self-reported prescription pain medication misuse were also examined.
Results: In 2019, none of the PDMP dimensions were associated with self-reported prescription pain medication misuse among U.S. high school students, adjusting for gender, grade, race/ethnicity, and sexual orientation.
Conclusions: None of the five PDMP dimensions were associated with lower prescription pain medication misuse, however further research is needed, especially as new YRBS data become available.
Keywords: Prescription drug monitoring programs; Prescription pain medication misuse; Youth risk behavior survey.
© 2024. The Author(s).