title: High-Risk Obtainment of Prescription Drugs by Older Adults in New Jersey: The Role of Prescription Opioids.
abstract: To explore the high-risk ways in which older adults obtain prescription opioids and to identify predictors of obtaining prescription opioids from high-risk sources, such as obtaining the same drug from multiple doctors, sharing drugs, and stealing prescription pads.
  
  
  
  Logistic regression analyses of cross-sectional survey data from the New Jersey Older Adult Survey on Drug Use and Health, a representative random-sample survey.
  
  
  
  Adults aged 60 and older (N = 725).
  
  
  
  Items such as obtaining prescriptions for the same drug from more than one doctor and stealing prescription drugs were measured to determine high-risk obtainment of prescription opioids.
  
  
  
  Almost 15% of the sample used high-risk methods of obtaining prescription opioids. Adults who previously used a prescription opioid recreationally had three times the risk of high-risk obtainment of prescription opioids.
  
  
  
  These findings illustrate the importance of strengthening prescription drug monitoring programs to reduce high-risk use of prescription drugs in older adults by alerting doctors and pharmacists to potential prescription drug misuse and interactions.
authors: School of Social Work, Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, New Brunswick, New Jersey. sgold@ssw.rutgers.edu.
authors: Sarah L
authors: 0000-0001-7259-0319
authors: SL
authors: Gold
authors: School of Social Work, Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, New Brunswick, New Jersey.
authors: Kristen Gilmore
authors: KG
authors: Powell
authors: Department of Social Work, Newark College of Arts and Sciences, Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, Newark, New Jersey.
authors: Michael H
authors: MH
authors: Eversman
authors: School of Social Work, Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, New Brunswick, New Jersey.
authors: N Andrew
authors: NA
authors: Peterson
authors: New Jersey Division of Mental Health and Addiction Services, Trenton, New Jersey.
authors: Suzanne
authors: S
authors: Borys
authors: New Jersey Division of Mental Health and Addiction Services, Trenton, New Jersey.
authors: Donald K
authors: DK
authors: Hallcom
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000701:Analgesics, Opioid / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D057970:Inappropriate Prescribing / Q000517:prevention & control*; D008297:Male; D054539:Medication Therapy Management / Q000458:organization & administration*; D008875:Middle Aged; D009515:New Jersey / Q000453:epidemiology; D010818:Practice Patterns, Physicians' / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D000067490:Prescription Drug Overuse / Q000517:prevention & control*; D055553:Prescription Drugs / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D018570:Risk Assessment; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires
chemical_list: D000701:Analgesics, Opioid; D055553:Prescription Drugs
keywords: high-risk drug obtainment; older adults; opioids; prescription painkillers