Prescription drug monitoring programs and prescription pain medication misuse among U.S. high school students—2019

Prescription drug monitoring programs (PDMPs) are state-level databases that track and inform prescribing practices to reduce prescription drug diversion and misuse. To our knowledge, only three studies have examined the impact of PDMPs on opioid-related outcomes among adolescents, and none have focused on prescription pain medication misuse among adolescents.

This study leveraged data from the 2019 National Youth Risk Behavior Survey (YRBS) to explore the associations between five categories of PDMP dimensions and the prevalence of self-reported prescription pain medication misuse. Demographic factors’ associations with self-reported prescription pain medication misuse were also examined.

In 2019, none of the PDMP dimensions were associated with self-reported prescription pain medication misuse among U.S. high school students, adjusting for gender, grade, race/ethnicity, and sexual orientation.

None of the five PDMP dimensions were associated with lower prescription pain medication misuse, however further research is needed, especially as new YRBS data become available.