Prescription opioid misuse tied to elevated suicide behaviors in youth

(HealthDay)—Youth with prescription opioid misuse (POM), particularly present POM, have an elevated threat for suicide-related behaviors, in response to a research printed on-line March 1 in Pediatrics.

Natalie J. Wilkins, Ph.D., from the U.S. Facilities for Illness Management and Prevention in Atlanta, and colleagues used knowledge from the 2019 Youth Danger Habits Survey to look at the correlations between POM and suicide threat behaviors amongst U.S. highschool college students.

The researchers discovered that each present and previous POM have been considerably related to all suicide threat behaviors in contrast with no POM, after adjustment for demographics, alcohol, and different drug use. The best adjusted prevalence ratios for suicidal ideation, planning, makes an attempt, and feeling unhappy or hopeless have been seen for college kids who reported present POM (adjusted prevalence ratios, 2.30, 2.33, 3.21, and 1.59, respectively). In contrast with youth who reported previous POM, college students who reported present POM have been considerably extra prone to report having severely thought-about trying suicide, making a suicide plan, and trying suicide.

“Communities can handle the intersections of POM and youth suicide by way of upstream major prevention approaches, corresponding to stopping opposed childhood experiences (e.g., youngster maltreatment or witnessing or experiencing violence), which have been linked to increased youth POM and suicide threat, and by strengthening methods that promote protected, steady, nurturing relationships and environments throughout childhood,” the authors write.

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