title: Nonmedical Use of Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder Medication Among Secondary School Students in The Netherlands.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  No studies in Europe have assessed the extent of nonmedical attention-deficit/hyperactivitiy disorder (ADHD) medication use among adolescents, while also, in Europe, prescribing of these medicines has increased. Our objective was to study the prevalence and motives for nonmedical ADHD medication use among secondary school students in the Netherlands.
  
  
  METHODS
  Adolescent students 10-19 years of age from six secondary schools were invited to complete an online survey on use of ADHD medication, tobacco, alcohol, and drugs. Nonmedical ADHD medication use was defined as self-reported use without a prescription during the previous 12 months.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Survey data were available for 777 students (15% response rate). The overall proportion of students self-reporting nonmedical ADHD medication use was 1.2% (n = 9), which represented almost 20% of the adolescents who reported ADHD medication use (n = 49). Most adolescents reported self-medication or enhancing study performance as motives for ADHD medication use.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The proportion of the study sample reporting nonmedical ADHD medication use in our study is lower compared with that in previous research conducted in the United States and Canada; however, on a population-based level, there might be a considerable proportion of recreational users.
authors.affiliation: Division of Pharmacoepidemiology and Clinical Pharmacology, Utrecht UniversityUtrecht , the Netherlands .
authors.forename: Ellen S
authors.initials: ES
authors.lastname: Koster
authors.affiliation: Division of Pharmacoepidemiology and Clinical Pharmacology, Utrecht UniversityUtrecht , the Netherlands .
authors.forename: Lydia
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: de Haan
authors.affiliation: Division of Pharmacoepidemiology and Clinical Pharmacology, Utrecht UniversityUtrecht , the Netherlands .
authors.forename: Marcel L
authors.initials: ML
authors.lastname: Bouvy
authors.affiliation: Division of Pharmacoepidemiology and Clinical Pharmacology, Utrecht UniversityUtrecht , the Netherlands .
authors.forename: Eibert R
authors.initials: ER
authors.lastname: Heerdink
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000294:Adolescent Behavior / Q000523:psychology; D001289:Attention Deficit Disorder with Hyperactivity / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000523:psychology*; D002648:Child; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009042:Motivation; D009426:Netherlands; D063487:Prescription Drug Misuse / Q000523:psychology* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D015995:Prevalence; D012574:Schools; D057566:Self Report; D013334:Students / Q000523:psychology*; D055815:Young Adult