Name of the project
- Non-Medical Prescription Drug Use Among High-Risk Youth
Project abstract/brief description
- Substantial evidence suggests that the diversion of prescription drugs for non-medical use accounts for a rapidly increasing share of substances of abuse, particularly among high-risk youth and young adult populations. Yet, there is a scarcity of information about the use of these drugs, including what the substances are, how they are administered, and why they are initiated. Much of the available data on non-medical prescription drugs, which includes opioids, CNS depressants, and stimulants, is limited to survey data and older populations of users. Descriptive data is lacking about the non-medical use of prescription drugs among high-risk youth populations. We are proposing a two-city (New York and Los Angeles) comparative study of high-risk youth aged 16 to 25 who may be homeless, participating in the street economy, polydrug users and/or injection drug users. The project aims are to: describe why high-risk youth initiate non-medical prescription drug use; describe variability in the forms of prescription drugs available and behavioral practices employed in their administration; chart the social trajectory of the transition from prescription drug use into other types of controlled substances; and assess the consequences of chronic use of prescription drugs on increased risk for onset of behaviors associated with exposure to HIV and STIs. The project aims will be addressed during three study phases. Phase One will consist of a six month Community Assessment Process (CAP) to gather existing "local knowledge" about non-medical prescription drug use in each city. Phase Two will comprise a nine month qualitative study of 150 prescription drug users in New York and Los Angeles. Phase Three will constitute a 15 month cross-sectional, quantitative survey of 600 prescription drug users in New York and Los Angeles. Study findings will inform the development of a curriculum for community-based organizations aimed at reducing non-medical prescription drug use among high-risk youth. Public health research on non-medical prescription drug use is extremely limited, and little is currently known about how high-risk youth maintain healthy living standards in the face of their risky behavior. Results from the proposed study will fill a critical gap in the epidemiological literature on non-medical prescription drug use among high-risk youth who are at risk for negative health outcomes, including drug dependence, drug overdose, violence, victimization, and exposure to bloodborne pathogens.
Name of Principal Investigator
Department/division/center/school in which the project is based
- Division of Research on Children, Youth & Families
Primary institution in which this project is based
- Childrens Hospital Los Angeles (CHLA)
Name and email address for the Project Director / Manager, or person responsible for overseeing the day-to-day activities of this project
If we were to request additional information about this project, pelase provide the name of the person to contact and his/her email address
- Project Director / Manager listed above
Are there any Co-Investigators on this project?
Please name all Co-Investigators and their institutional affiliation
Which, if any, of the following institutions are you partnering with for this project?
For each partner institution listed, please indicate the specific department / division / institute / center with which you are partnering
- Institute for International Research on Youth at Risk
Are you collaborating with any other academic, clinical or community organizations on this project?
List any academic, clinical and / or community organizations with which you are collaborating. Please include each partner organization's location
Which institutional IRBs have reviewed and approved this project?
- Childrens Hospital Los Angeles (CHLA)
- Other (please specify)
Which of the following best characterizes the agency(ies) funding this project? (IF THIS IS A SUBCONTRACT, PLEASE IDENTIFY THE CORE FUNDING SOURCE, e.g., NIH, CDC, etc.)
- Federal - NIH (please specify BRANCH)
What month and year does / did funding begin?
- Month: September
- Year: 2007
What month and year does/did funding end?
Which of the following best describes the project's thematic focus?
- Substance abuse - treatment, co-morbidities and care, prevention and education, transition from pediatric to adult care
In what context do your project activities (e.g. data collection) take place?
- Other community (please specify)
How would you classify this project?
Please indicate which of the following best characterizes the type of research you are conducting?
- Epidemiological research
- Behavioral/social research
- Ethnographic research/medical anthropology
Which of the following best characterizes your study design?
What type of data collection methods are used?
- Surveys
- Individual open-ended (qualitative) interviews
- Observational data collection
Which services does your program provide?
- NOT a service project - Research only
How many participants will be/were recruited to participate in your research or service program over the funding/study period?
Which of the following best describe the population this project targets?
Which of the following best describes the age groups this project targets?
- Adolescents (12-18 years)
- Young adults (19-25 years)
Which of the following best describes the racial/ethnic characteristics of the project participants?
- White/Caucasian
- Black/African American
- Latino/Hispanic
- Asian (please specify)
Please provide any additional characteristics of your project participants that are specific to the goals of the project, e.g., low-income, un-insured, incarcerated, pregnant/parenting teens, populations with disabilities, specific conditions, etc.
Which of the following best describes the location(s) in which this project takes/took place?
In which LA County Service Planning Area (SPA) do/did your project activities take place?
- SPA 4 (Metro)
- SPA 5 (West)
In which locations outside LA County do your project activities take place?
Does this project have an advisory board?
How often does your advisory board meet?
Please indicate which of the following best describes the membership of this project's advisory board?
Which of the following best describe the type of guidance your advisory group provides for your project?
In what ways, if any, has your project disseminated information about your project, including findings and lessons learned?
- Peer-reviewed publications
- National/international conferences
- Presentations/in-service training to academic audiences
- Presentations/in-service training to clinical audience
- Presentations/in-service training to community social service providers and schools
Which dissemination activities do you/did you find to be most effective?
- It depends on the objectives of dissemination: peer-reviewed publications and conferences are best for scientific audiences while in-house presentations are best for community audiences.
How useful do you think a CTSI Research/Service Clearinghouse will be to the following audiences?
How likely are you to use the CTSI web-based clearinghouse?
How would you envision using a resource like the CTSI web-based clearinghouse?
What specific information would you want in the CTSI web-based clearinghouse to maximize its utlility to you, other researchers, and representatives of the community?
What would you like to see in terms of the CTSI web-based clearinghouse design and functionality that would maximize the clearinghouse's utility for you and others?
- I would find it useful if it functioned like NIH's CRISP database.
