Skip to main content

Lund University Publications

LUND UNIVERSITY LIBRARIES

Clinical characteristics distinguishing tramadol-using adolescents from other substance-using adolescents in an out-patient treatment setting

Holmstedt, A. LU ; Olsson, M. O. and Håkansson, A. LU (2020) In Addictive Behaviors Reports 11.
Abstract

Background: Non-medical Prescription Opioid Use (NMPOU) has increased worldwide during the last decades, and specifically, tramadol misuse may represent a novel pattern of substance use among adolescents. The present study aims to analyze characteristics distinguishing tramadol-using adolescents from other substance-using adolescents seeking out-patient treatment. Methods: This is a cross-sectional study of treatment-seeking patients between 13 and 24 years of age in an out-patient facility for substance use problems in Malmö, Sweden. A total of 526 treatment-seeking adolescents at an out-patient treatment center were included. Data on substance use, treatment history and socio-demographic variables were extracted through a... (More)

Background: Non-medical Prescription Opioid Use (NMPOU) has increased worldwide during the last decades, and specifically, tramadol misuse may represent a novel pattern of substance use among adolescents. The present study aims to analyze characteristics distinguishing tramadol-using adolescents from other substance-using adolescents seeking out-patient treatment. Methods: This is a cross-sectional study of treatment-seeking patients between 13 and 24 years of age in an out-patient facility for substance use problems in Malmö, Sweden. A total of 526 treatment-seeking adolescents at an out-patient treatment center were included. Data on substance use, treatment history and socio-demographic variables were extracted through a semi-structured interview method aimed specifically for adolescents with alcohol or drug problems (Ung-DOK). Lifetime tramadol users were compared to non-users, and also, primary tramadol users were compared to remaining subjects. Results: Thirty-one percent (n = 162) were tramadol users (lifetime prevalence). In logistic regression, the tramadol group showed a significantly increased risk of tobacco use, problematic lifetime cocaine, benzodiazepine and amphetamine use, and were more likely to report contacts with the judicial system, and less likely to report contacts with child or adult psychiatry, and more likely to have parents born outside the Scandinavian countries. In logistic regression, primary tramadol use was negatively associated with frequent cannabis use. Conclusions: Tramadol use appears to be a novel pattern among treatment-seeking adolescents. They showed a significantly increased risk of initiation of other illicit drugs and criminal behaviour, despite less contact with psychiatric care. More attention may be needed to this relatively novel pattern of opioid use.

(Less)
Please use this url to cite or link to this publication:
author
; and
organization
publishing date
type
Contribution to journal
publication status
published
subject
in
Addictive Behaviors Reports
volume
11
article number
100272
publisher
Elsevier
external identifiers
  • scopus:85083048624
  • pmid:32322659
ISSN
2352-8532
DOI
10.1016/j.abrep.2020.100272
language
English
LU publication?
yes
id
bc843c56-739e-4e4b-98d9-e527f85b2f45
date added to LUP
2020-04-28 13:40:22
date last changed
2024-06-26 14:32:33
@article{bc843c56-739e-4e4b-98d9-e527f85b2f45,
  abstract     = {{<p>Background: Non-medical Prescription Opioid Use (NMPOU) has increased worldwide during the last decades, and specifically, tramadol misuse may represent a novel pattern of substance use among adolescents. The present study aims to analyze characteristics distinguishing tramadol-using adolescents from other substance-using adolescents seeking out-patient treatment. Methods: This is a cross-sectional study of treatment-seeking patients between 13 and 24 years of age in an out-patient facility for substance use problems in Malmö, Sweden. A total of 526 treatment-seeking adolescents at an out-patient treatment center were included. Data on substance use, treatment history and socio-demographic variables were extracted through a semi-structured interview method aimed specifically for adolescents with alcohol or drug problems (Ung-DOK). Lifetime tramadol users were compared to non-users, and also, primary tramadol users were compared to remaining subjects. Results: Thirty-one percent (n = 162) were tramadol users (lifetime prevalence). In logistic regression, the tramadol group showed a significantly increased risk of tobacco use, problematic lifetime cocaine, benzodiazepine and amphetamine use, and were more likely to report contacts with the judicial system, and less likely to report contacts with child or adult psychiatry, and more likely to have parents born outside the Scandinavian countries. In logistic regression, primary tramadol use was negatively associated with frequent cannabis use. Conclusions: Tramadol use appears to be a novel pattern among treatment-seeking adolescents. They showed a significantly increased risk of initiation of other illicit drugs and criminal behaviour, despite less contact with psychiatric care. More attention may be needed to this relatively novel pattern of opioid use.</p>}},
  author       = {{Holmstedt, A. and Olsson, M. O. and Håkansson, A.}},
  issn         = {{2352-8532}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  publisher    = {{Elsevier}},
  series       = {{Addictive Behaviors Reports}},
  title        = {{Clinical characteristics distinguishing tramadol-using adolescents from other substance-using adolescents in an out-patient treatment setting}},
  url          = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.abrep.2020.100272}},
  doi          = {{10.1016/j.abrep.2020.100272}},
  volume       = {{11}},
  year         = {{2020}},
}