Psychological distress, non-medical use of prescription medications, and perceived unmet mental health care needs : a cross-sectional study of Ontario students
© 2023. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer-Verlag GmbH Germany..
PURPOSE: The non-medical use of prescription medications among adolescents has become a concerning public health issue. This study assessed the prevalence of the non-medical use of prescription medications in Ontario high school students, and explored the moderating effect of this use on the relationship between psychological distress and unmet mental health needs.
METHODS: Cross-sectional data for 4896 students, age 14-18, were drawn from the 2019 Ontario Student Drug Use and Health Survey. Psychological distress was measured using the Kessler-6 Distress Scale, unmet mental health needs were defined by self-report (yes/no), and non-prescription medication use was defined by self-reported frequency of use. Using logistic regression, we explored the effect of the non-medical use of prescription medications on the relationship between psychological distress and unmet mental health needs.
RESULTS: High proportions of Ontario students reported serious psychological distress (22%), some degree of unmet mental health need (38%), and/or non-medical use of prescription medications (13%). While there were strong associations between psychological distress and unmet mental health need, this association was weaker among those reporting non-medical use of prescription medications (OR = 3.3, 95% CI 1.9-5.7) compared to non-users (OR = 5.6, 95% CI 4.5-7.1).
CONCLUSION: Our findings suggest that Ontario students experiencing distress and using non-prescribed medications are less likely to identify a need for mental health support, highlighting the consequences of apparent self-medication through misuse of prescription medications. To assist in the redirection of adolescent perceptions of healthy coping strategies, population-based educational programming, with targeted promotion of both formal and informal mental health care resources, should be considered.
| Medienart: |
E-Artikel |
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| Erscheinungsjahr: |
2023 |
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| Erschienen: |
2023 |
| Enthalten in: |
Zur Gesamtaufnahme - volume:58 |
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| Enthalten in: |
Social psychiatry and psychiatric epidemiology - 58(2023), 10 vom: 17. Okt., Seite 1483-1492 |
| Sprache: |
Englisch |
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| Beteiligte Personen: |
Landry, Hannah [VerfasserIn] |
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| Links: |
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| Themen: |
Adolescent |
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| Anmerkungen: |
Date Completed 28.08.2023 Date Revised 28.08.2023 published: Print-Electronic Citation Status MEDLINE |
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| doi: |
10.1007/s00127-023-02450-y |
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| funding: |
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| Förderinstitution / Projekttitel: |
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| PPN (Katalog-ID): |
NLM354376381 |
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| 500 | |a published: Print-Electronic | ||
| 500 | |a Citation Status MEDLINE | ||
| 520 | |a © 2023. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer-Verlag GmbH Germany. | ||
| 520 | |a PURPOSE: The non-medical use of prescription medications among adolescents has become a concerning public health issue. This study assessed the prevalence of the non-medical use of prescription medications in Ontario high school students, and explored the moderating effect of this use on the relationship between psychological distress and unmet mental health needs | ||
| 520 | |a METHODS: Cross-sectional data for 4896 students, age 14-18, were drawn from the 2019 Ontario Student Drug Use and Health Survey. Psychological distress was measured using the Kessler-6 Distress Scale, unmet mental health needs were defined by self-report (yes/no), and non-prescription medication use was defined by self-reported frequency of use. Using logistic regression, we explored the effect of the non-medical use of prescription medications on the relationship between psychological distress and unmet mental health needs | ||
| 520 | |a RESULTS: High proportions of Ontario students reported serious psychological distress (22%), some degree of unmet mental health need (38%), and/or non-medical use of prescription medications (13%). While there were strong associations between psychological distress and unmet mental health need, this association was weaker among those reporting non-medical use of prescription medications (OR = 3.3, 95% CI 1.9-5.7) compared to non-users (OR = 5.6, 95% CI 4.5-7.1) | ||
| 520 | |a CONCLUSION: Our findings suggest that Ontario students experiencing distress and using non-prescribed medications are less likely to identify a need for mental health support, highlighting the consequences of apparent self-medication through misuse of prescription medications. To assist in the redirection of adolescent perceptions of healthy coping strategies, population-based educational programming, with targeted promotion of both formal and informal mental health care resources, should be considered | ||
| 650 | 4 | |a Journal Article | |
| 650 | 4 | |a Adolescent | |
| 650 | 4 | |a Health survey | |
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| 650 | 4 | |a Prescriptions | |
| 650 | 4 | |a Psychological adaptation | |
| 650 | 4 | |a Psychological distress | |
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| 700 | 1 | |a Hamilton, Hayley A |e verfasserin |4 aut | |
| 700 | 1 | |a Colman, Ian |e verfasserin |4 aut | |
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