TY - JOUR
T1 - Young adult opioid misuse indicates a general tendency toward substance use and is strongly predicted by general substance use risk
AU - Pandika, Danielle
AU - Bailey, Jennifer A.
AU - Oesterle, Sabrina
AU - Kuklinski, Margaret R.
N1 - Publisher Copyright:
© 2022
PY - 2022/6/1
Y1 - 2022/6/1
N2 - Objective: To examine whether young adult opioid misuse reflects a general tendency toward substance use and is influenced by general substance use risk or whether it is a different phenomenon from other drug use. Methods: At ages 23 (2016) and 26 (2019), a panel of young adults (n = 3794 to 3833) in the United States self-reported their past-month substance use (opioid misuse, heavy drinking, cigarettes, cannabis) and substance-specific risk factors (perceptions of harm; approval of use; and use of each substance by friends and romantic partners). Structural equation models examined non-opioid and opioid-specific associations between latent risk and substance use factors. Results: Opioid misuse and opioid-specific risk factors shared significant variance with latent substance use and latent substance use risk, respectively, which were strongly associated. A statistically significant residual correlation between opioid-specific risk and opioid misuse remained. Conclusion: Young adult opioid misuse reflects a general tendency toward substance use and is strongly predicted by risk for substance use. Opioid-specific risk factors play only a small independent role. Existing evidence-based substance use interventions may be effective in preventing opioid misuse among young adults.
AB - Objective: To examine whether young adult opioid misuse reflects a general tendency toward substance use and is influenced by general substance use risk or whether it is a different phenomenon from other drug use. Methods: At ages 23 (2016) and 26 (2019), a panel of young adults (n = 3794 to 3833) in the United States self-reported their past-month substance use (opioid misuse, heavy drinking, cigarettes, cannabis) and substance-specific risk factors (perceptions of harm; approval of use; and use of each substance by friends and romantic partners). Structural equation models examined non-opioid and opioid-specific associations between latent risk and substance use factors. Results: Opioid misuse and opioid-specific risk factors shared significant variance with latent substance use and latent substance use risk, respectively, which were strongly associated. A statistically significant residual correlation between opioid-specific risk and opioid misuse remained. Conclusion: Young adult opioid misuse reflects a general tendency toward substance use and is strongly predicted by risk for substance use. Opioid-specific risk factors play only a small independent role. Existing evidence-based substance use interventions may be effective in preventing opioid misuse among young adults.
KW - General substance use
KW - Opioid and substance
KW - Prevention of opioid misuse
KW - Risk for opioid misuse
KW - Young adult opioid misuse
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U2 - 10.1016/j.drugalcdep.2022.109442
DO - 10.1016/j.drugalcdep.2022.109442
M3 - Article
C2 - 35461085
AN - SCOPUS:85128712875
SN - 0376-8716
VL - 235
JO - Drug and alcohol dependence
JF - Drug and alcohol dependence
M1 - 109442
ER -