Open Collections

Lam, Sarah

University of British Columbia

Canadian youth have demonstrated the fastest-growing rates of opioid-related hospitalizations in the past decade. Prescription opioid medications, although effective in alleviating severe post-operative pain, also have the potential for misuse and diversion. Oral surgery procedures are often the first exposure to opioids for youth patients. This population has been understudied despite being substantially affected by the opioid crisis. The aim of this study was to determine how informed youth (ages 15 to 24) are about potential risks associated with prescription opioid use following oral surgical procedures. An anonymous, 32-item survey was administered through Qualtrics to youth patients following oral surgical procedures to assess behaviour, knowledge, and beliefs about prescription opioid use. Participants were recruited from ten oral surgery practices in British Columbia during six months. A total of 177 responses were recorded. 121 (68.4%) participants received an opioid prescription, and only 2 (2%) participants stored their medication in a locked location. For those who did not, 80.7% indicated they were not worried about anyone taking it. Of the 84 (69.4%) participants with leftover pills (mean: 17.7 pills/participant), 71 (84.5%) reported still having them in their possession, with 33 (46.5%) intentionally saving them for future need. Compared to females, males were more likely to believe that prescription opioids are safer than other substances (P=0.006), and that they are less likely to get into trouble using them (P=0.046). Multivariate logistic regression models demonstrated that the male sex is a significant predictor of prescription opioid misuse (P=0.043). This study indicates a general lack of knowledge among participants and demonstrates that youth are not well informed of the potential risks associated with prescription opioids. In conclusion, it is essential to implement a practical approach to inform youth of the implications surrounding prescription opioid use and its potential for adverse health outcomes.

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2024-01-19

Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International

http://hdl.handle.net/2429/87323

Craniofacial Science

University of British Columbia

UBCV

http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/