Young male athletes at heightened risk for use, misuse of opioid medications
There is new evidence that young male athletes are more likely to be prescribed opioid medications and to misuse them than non-athletes, according to research conducted at the Institute for Research on Women and Gender (IRWG) at the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor.1
Investigators, led by Philip Veliz, PhD, a research fellow at IRWG, followed 1,540 teenagers of both genders, finding that male athletes were more likely to use and misuse opioid medications at least one time during the previous year than non-athlete males, but the same did not hold true for the opposite sex. Female athletes were not more likely to be prescribed opioids or to misuse them.
Investigators suggest that the discrepancy between the two genders may be partly related to the fact that males are more likely to play sports associated with higher rates of injuries, such as wrestling and football. However, they also note that young men rely more on sports for their social status than young women, and this may incline males to play through periods of pain.
While opioids are helpful for managing pain on a short-term basis, experts urge providers to consider non-opioid alternatives whenever possible. And when opioids must be used, experts advise providers to discuss medication management with both teenagers and their parents, and make sure they are aware of the dangers of abuse.
- Veliz P, Epstein-Ngo Q, Meier E, et al. Painfully obvious: A longitudinal examination of medical use and misuse of opioid medication among adolescent sports participants. J Adolesc Health. 2013 October 26. [Epub ahead of print]
