@article{ref1,
title="Misuse of prescription opioid analgesics among adolescents in Greece: the importance of peer use and past prescriptions",
journal="Drugs: education, prevention, and policy",
year="2014",
author="Fotiou, Anastasios and Kanavou, Eleftheria and Richardson, Clive and Ploumpidis, Dimitrios and Kokkevi, Anna",
volume="21",
number="5",
pages="357-369",
abstract="Aims: The study explored the prevalence and correlates of the non-prescribed use (misuse) of prescription opioid analgesics in a nationally representative sample of adolescent students in Greece. <br><br>METHODS: Cross-sectional data were collected through anonymous questionnaires administered to a random stratified sample of 676 high schools involving 23,279 students aged 15-19 in 2011. <br><br>FINDINGS: About 16.2% reported lifetime misuse, 6.3% repeated misuse at least three times - most of them to alleviate pain. <br><br>RESULTS of multivariate logistic regression showed that among the strongest correlates of repeated misuse were peer misuse (Odds ratio [OR] = 4.10, 99% Confidence Interval [CI] = 3.11-5.42), past prescription of opioid analgesics (OR = 3.19, 99% CI = 2.28-4.48 in males, OR = 2.38, 99% CI = 1.78-3.19 in females), lifetime misuse of tranquilisers/sedatives (OR = 3.16, 99% CI = 2.22-4.48), and frequent use of over-the-counter analgesics (OR = 2.37, 99% CI = 1.92-2.92). Other correlates included: female gender, daily smoking (by girls), frequent alcohol use, antisocial behaviour, physical or emotional maltreatment, and past prescription of tranquilisers/sedatives. Illicit drug use failed to explain opioid analgesics misuse. <br><br>CONCLUSIONS: Misuse of prescription analgesics is common among adolescents in Greece and seems to emerge within a self-treating rather than a mood-altering context of use.<p />",
language="en",
issn="0968-7637",
doi="10.3109/09687637.2014.899989",
url="http://dx.doi.org/10.3109/09687637.2014.899989"
}