Citation

Alemagno SA, Stephens P, Shaffer-King P, Teasdale B. J. Correct. Health Care 2009; 15(1): 35-46.

Affiliation

Institute for Health and Social Policy, University of Akron, Ohio 44325, USA. alemagn@uakron.edu

Copyright

(Copyright © 2009, National Commission on Correctional Health Care (USA), Publisher SAGE Publishing)

DOI

10.1177/1078345808326620

PMID

19477810

Abstract

This preliminary study examines the correlates of prescription drug abuse in a sample of adolescents in an urban juvenile detention center in Ohio. The study measures risk in 359 incarcerated females (20.1%) and 1,425 males (79.9%) by asking questions related to problems with alcohol, drug use, treatment history, mental and physical health problems, sexual behavior, anger management, physical violence, and family support. The results of the study suggest that incarcerated adolescents may benefit from interventions targeting prescription drug misuse. Female adolescent detainees abuse prescription drugs at a higher level than male adolescent detainees (17% vs. 10%). The correlates of prescription drug abuse are complex and multidimensional and offer opportunities for further study.

Language: en