NonNon--medical Use of Prescription Drugs medical Use of Prescription Drugs on College Campuseson College Campuses
Emily Emily DuynsteeDuynsteeApril 28, 2006April 28, 2006
Student Use of Adderall and Ritalin
at UNH
…….
Problem:Problem:
Nationally, there has been a rise in college Nationally, there has been a rise in college students using prescription drugs, students using prescription drugs, specifically specifically AdderallAdderall and Ritalin, for nonand Ritalin, for non--medical purposes.medical purposes.
NonNon--medical Use of Prescription Drugs on College Campusesmedical Use of Prescription Drugs on College Campuses
Research Questions:Research Questions:What is the rate of use of What is the rate of use of AdderallAdderall and and Ritalin nonRitalin non--medically on the UNH medically on the UNH campus?campus?Who is using these drugs nonWho is using these drugs non--medically?medically?What are the reasons What are the reasons for/consequences of such use?for/consequences of such use?
NonNon--medical Use of Prescription Drugs on College Campusesmedical Use of Prescription Drugs on College Campuses
What are What are AdderallAdderall and Ritalin?and Ritalin?
Drugs used to treat attention deficit Drugs used to treat attention deficit disorders (most commonly ADD, disorders (most commonly ADD, ADHD)ADHD)
Help soothe the impulsiveness, Help soothe the impulsiveness, inattentiveness, and hyperactivity that inattentiveness, and hyperactivity that are associated with these disordersare associated with these disordersOnly available through prescriptionOnly available through prescription
NonNon--medical Use of Prescription Drugs on College Campusesmedical Use of Prescription Drugs on College Campuses
Sample/Methods:Sample/Methods:A confidential survey was handed out in A confidential survey was handed out in Sociology 535: Homicide, and upon Sociology 535: Homicide, and upon completion it was placed anonymously in a completion it was placed anonymously in a boxboxConvenient sample of 200 Students, 137 Convenient sample of 200 Students, 137 respondedrespondedSurveys were analyzed using Small Surveys were analyzed using Small StataStata 9, 9, using Chiusing Chi--Square and ANOVA testsSquare and ANOVA tests
NonNon--medical Use of Prescription Drugs on College Campusesmedical Use of Prescription Drugs on College Campuses
Demographics:Demographics:36% male, 64% female36% male, 64% femaleMean age = 21 years oldMean age = 21 years old42% of the students were seniors42% of the students were seniors42% of the students lived in off42% of the students lived in off--campus apartmentscampus apartments29% of the students were sociology 29% of the students were sociology majorsmajors
NonNon--medical Use of Prescription Drugs on College Campusesmedical Use of Prescription Drugs on College Campuses
Demographics Continued:Demographics Continued:
27% of the students surveyed use 27% of the students surveyed use AdderallAdderall for nonfor non--medical reasonsmedical reasons
12% of the students surveyed use 12% of the students surveyed use Ritalin for nonRitalin for non--medical reasonsmedical reasons
NonNon--medical Use of Prescription Drugs on College Campusesmedical Use of Prescription Drugs on College Campuses
82% of the students surveyed that use 82% of the students surveyed that use AdderallAdderall or Ritalin use it for or Ritalin use it for studying/getting work done for schoolstudying/getting work done for school
54% of the students surveyed that use 54% of the students surveyed that use AdderallAdderall or Ritalin use it for partyingor Ritalin use it for partying
NonNon--medical Use of Prescription Drugs on College Campusesmedical Use of Prescription Drugs on College Campuses
Student Usage:
Student Usage:Student Usage:
62% of the students surveyed that use 62% of the students surveyed that use AdderallAdderall or Ritalin have used it in or Ritalin have used it in conjunction with alcoholconjunction with alcohol
95% of the students that use 95% of the students that use AdderallAdderall or or Ritalin to party use these drugs with Ritalin to party use these drugs with alcoholalcohol
NonNon--medical Use of Prescription Drugs on College Campusesmedical Use of Prescription Drugs on College Campuses
Student Usage Continued:Student Usage Continued:
32% of the students surveyed that use 32% of the students surveyed that use AdderallAdderall or Ritalin have used these drugs in or Ritalin have used these drugs in conjunction with other drugsconjunction with other drugs
Other drugs include:Other drugs include:MarijuanaMarijuana (12 students)(12 students)OpiumOpium (2 students)(2 students)Mushrooms Mushrooms (1 student)(1 student)Other pillsOther pills (1 student)(1 student)CocaineCocaine (1 student)(1 student)MethadoneMethadone (1 student)(1 student)
NonNon--medical Use of Prescription Drugs on College Campusesmedical Use of Prescription Drugs on College Campuses
Availability:Availability:94% of the students surveyed that use 94% of the students surveyed that use AdderallAdderall or Ritalin obtain it from a friend or Ritalin obtain it from a friend who has a prescriptionwho has a prescriptionThe other 6% buy these drugs from a The other 6% buy these drugs from a person selling themperson selling them62% of the students surveyed that use 62% of the students surveyed that use AdderallAdderall or Ritalin believe it is or Ritalin believe it is ““very easyvery easy””to obtain to obtain AdderallAdderall on the UNH campuson the UNH campus
NonNon--medical Use of Prescription Drugs on College Campusesmedical Use of Prescription Drugs on College Campuses
Results: Sex and UsageResults: Sex and UsageSignificant relationship Significant relationship between Sex and between Sex and AdderallAdderall useuseMales are more likely Males are more likely to use to use AdderallAdderall nonnon--medically than femalesmedically than females47% of males and 16% 47% of males and 16% of females surveyed of females surveyed use use AdderallAdderall
0
20
40
60
80
100
Males Females
47%53%
16%
84%
Yes No
Sex and Use of Adderall
Sex
Perc
enta
ge th
at U
se A
dder
all
NonNon--medical Use of Prescription Drugs on College Campusesmedical Use of Prescription Drugs on College Campuses
Results Continued:Results Continued:
Significant relationship Significant relationship between Sex and between Sex and Ritalin useRitalin useMales are more likely Males are more likely to use Ritalin nonto use Ritalin non--medically than femalesmedically than females22% of males and 6% 22% of males and 6% of females use Ritalin of females use Ritalin nonnon--medicallymedically
0
20
40
60
80
100
Males Females
22%
78%
6%
94%
Yes No
Sex and Use of Ritalin
Sex
Perc
enta
ge th
at u
se R
italin
NonNon--medical Use of Prescription Drugs on College Campusesmedical Use of Prescription Drugs on College Campuses
Results: Living Situation and UsageResults: Living Situation and Usage
Significant relationship between Significant relationship between living situation and use of living situation and use of AdderallAdderall44% of the students surveyed that 44% of the students surveyed that use use AdderallAdderall live in off campus live in off campus apartmentsapartmentsNo significant relationship between No significant relationship between living situation and use of Ritalinliving situation and use of RitalinHowever, 13% of students using However, 13% of students using Ritalin live in offRitalin live in off--campus apartmentscampus apartments
NonNon--medical Use of Prescription Drugs on College Campusesmedical Use of Prescription Drugs on College Campuses
Results Continued:Results Continued:
Significant relationship Significant relationship between using these between using these drugs to party and drugs to party and using them in using them in conjunction with conjunction with alcoholalcohol95% of students using 95% of students using AdderallAdderall/Ritalin to /Ritalin to party use them with party use them with alcoholalcohol 0
20
40
60
80
100
95
5
Yes No
Students using Adderall/Ritalin with Alcohol when Partying
Use with Alcohol
Perc
enta
ge o
f Stu
dent
s
NonNon--medical Use of Prescription Drugs on College Campusesmedical Use of Prescription Drugs on College Campuses
Conclusions:Conclusions:About About ¼¼ of the students surveyed at UNH of the students surveyed at UNH are using are using AdderallAdderall or Ritalin nonor Ritalin non--medicallymedically
This matches previous research conducted This matches previous research conducted before my study, which states that about before my study, which states that about 25% of college students use these drugs 25% of college students use these drugs nonnon--medicallymedically
NonNon--medical Use of Prescription Drugs on College Campusesmedical Use of Prescription Drugs on College Campuses
Conclusions Continued:Conclusions Continued:
Males are using these drugs more than Males are using these drugs more than femalesfemalesStudents using these drugs to party are Students using these drugs to party are using them dangerously in conjunction with using them dangerously in conjunction with alcoholalcoholStudents are using these drugs to study/get Students are using these drugs to study/get work done for schoolwork done for schoolStudent living in off campus apartments are Student living in off campus apartments are more likely to use these drugsmore likely to use these drugs
NonNon--medical Use of Prescription Drugs on College Campusesmedical Use of Prescription Drugs on College Campuses
Limitations:Limitations:Convenient sample of only 137 UNH Convenient sample of only 137 UNH studentsstudentsThere wasnThere wasn’’t an equal amount of t an equal amount of students from each major/collegestudents from each major/collegeSeniors were overrepresentedSeniors were overrepresentedMore females were surveyed than More females were surveyed than malesmales
NonNon--medical Use of Prescription Drugs on College Campusesmedical Use of Prescription Drugs on College Campuses
Future Research:Future Research:
Senior ThesisSenior ThesisSurvey more than 137 studentsSurvey more than 137 studentsSurvey equal amount of males and Survey equal amount of males and femalesfemalesSurvey students from a wider range of Survey students from a wider range of majors/collegesmajors/colleges
NonNon--medical Use of Prescription Drugs on College Campusesmedical Use of Prescription Drugs on College Campuses
Questions/AnswersQuestions/Answers