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AIMS: The present study examines the prevalence trends and
college-level characteristics associated with the non-medical use of prescription
drugs (i.e. amphetamines, opioids, sedatives, tranquilizers) and illicit drug
use among US college students between 1993 and 2001. DESIGN: Data were collected
from self-administered mail surveys, sent to independent cross-sectional samples
of college students from a nationally representative sample of 119 colleges
in 4 years between 1993 and 2001. SETTING: Nationally representative 4-year
US colleges and universities in 1993, 1997, 1999 and 2001. PARTICIPANTS: Representative
samples of 15,282, 14,428, 13,953 and 10,904 randomly selected college students
at these colleges in 1993, 1997, 1999 and 2001, respectively. FINDINGS: The
results indicate that life-time and 12-month prevalence rates of non-medical
use of prescription drugs (NMPD) increased between 1993 and 2001. Specific college-level
characteristics were found to be correlated positively (marijuana use) and negatively
(historically black college status and commuter status) with NMPD, consistently
across the four cross-sectional samples. Significant between-college variation
in terms of trajectories in the prevalence of NMPD over time was found in hierarchical
linear models, and selected college-level characteristics were not found to
explain all of the variation in the trajectories, suggesting the need for further
investigation of what determines between-college variance in the prevalence
trends. CONCLUSIONS: The findings of the present study suggest that continued
monitoring of NMPD and illicit drug use among college students is needed and
collegiate substance prevention programs should include efforts to reduce these
drug use behaviors.
Keywords: Mental Health; Illicit Drugs
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