Twenty-five percent of teens prescribed opioids in Arizona misuse the medications, according to a survey conducted by San Francisco-based Dignity Health and the Barrow Neurological Institute in Phoenix.
Researchers conducted the online survey from July 13-31, sampling 313 teens ages 14 to 18 who were previously prescribed opioids. Twenty-five percent of respondents said they'd used opioids without a physician's consent, and 18 percent said it was okay to take more than the prescribed dosage if they experienced more pain than usual.
"We see teenagers in our emergency room all the time who are suffering from opioid addiction. It is tragic for them and for their parents," said Sandra Indermuhle, MD, the director of emergency services at Dignity Health Chandler (Ariz.) Regional Hospital. "I believe strongly that one of the keys to preventing these cases is communication. Parents need to let their kids know that this is a problem in the community and that it is very dangerous."
Nearly 800 deaths in Arizona were directly attributed to opioids in 2016, marking a 74 percent increase from 2012, according to a report from the Arizona Department of Health Services.
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