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CDC Survey Finds that 1 in 5 U.S. High School Students Have Abused Prescription Drugs

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CDC Survey Finds that 1 in 5 U.S. High School Students Have Abused Prescription Drugs

One in 5 U.S. high school students say they have taken a prescription drug without a doctor's prescription, according to the 2009 National Youth Risk Behavior Survey (YRBS) released by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. This is the first year the survey assessed prescription drug abuse among high school students. The YRBS has been conducted every other year since 1991.

The survey asked if students had ever taken a prescription drug such as OxyContin, Percocet, Vicodin, Adderall, Ritalin, or Xanax, without a doctor's prescription. Prescription drug abuse was most common among white students (23 percent), followed by Hispanic students (17 percent) and then black students (12 percent). Prescription drug abuse was most common among 12th grade students (26 percent) and lowest among 9th grade students (15 percent). There was no difference in prescription drug abuse by gender (20 percent for both male and female students).

"We are concerned to learn that so many high school students are taking prescription drugs that were not prescribed to them," said Howell Wechsler, EdD, MPH, director of CDC's Division of Adolescent and School Health. "Some people may falsely believe that prescription drugs are safer than illegal drugs, yet their misuse can cause serious adverse health effects, including addiction and death."

The YRBS also asked several questions related to alcohol and drug use. The 2009 survey found that about 72 percent of high school students had ever used alcohol, about 37 percent had ever used marijuana, 6.4 percent had ever used cocaine, 4.1 percent had ever used methamphetamine, and 6.7 percent had ever used ecstasy. These percentages are similar to those found in the 2007 survey.

The 2009 National YRBS results also showed that many high school students engage in other risk behaviors, which are harmful to their overall health and increase their risk of disease and injury.
For example, during the seven days before the survey, 78 percent of high school students had not eaten fruits and vegetables five or more times per day, and 82 percent were not physically active
for at least 60 minutes daily. Also, during the 30 days before the survey, 19 percent of high school students smoked cigarettes, 28 percent rode in a car or other vehicle driven by someone who had been drinking alcohol, and 39 percent of currently sexually active students reported that they did not use a condom the last time they had sexual intercourse. This information is similar to the 2007 YRBS findings.

About YRBS
National, state, and local YRBS studies are conducted every two years among high school students throughout the United States. These surveys monitor health risk behaviors including unintentional injuries and violence; tobacco, alcohol, and other drug use; sexual behaviors that contribute to unintended pregnancy and sexually transmitted diseases, including HIV infection; unhealthy dietary behaviors; and physical inactivity. These surveys also monitor the prevalence
of obesity and asthma.

More than 16,000 U.S. high school students participated in the 2009 National YRBS. Data are presented only for black, Hispanic, and white students because the sample size of students from other racial/ethnic populations was too small for meaningful analysis. Parental permission was obtained for students to participate in the survey. Student participation was voluntary, and responses were anonymous. States and cities could modify the questionnaire to meet their needs. The 2009 report includes national data and data from surveys conducted in 42 states and 20 large urban school districts.

The 2009 Youth Risk Behavior Survey data are available at http://www.cdc.gov/yrbs.

SOURCE: Center for Disease Control