Risk factors associated with problem use of prescription drugs

We estimate the prevalence of and risk factors for the problem use of prescription drugs, overall and by therapeutic class. Applying logistic regression analysis to data from the National Household Survey on Drug Abuse,(1) we found that nearly 1.3 million Americans aged 12 years and older experience problem use of prescription drugs signifying physiological dependence or heavy daily use. Those at greatest risk include older adults, females, those in poor/fair health, and daily alcohol drinkers.