Factors associated with permissive attitudes of university students towards prescription medication misuse

Background: University students with more permissive attitudes toward prescription medication misuse are more likely to engage in such misuse. This study investigated the factors associated with attitudes toward prescription medication misuse, and whether these factors differ between misuse for academic vs. recreational purposes. Methods: An online survey included standardized measures of anxiety, depression, insomnia symptoms, daytime sleepiness, sleep quality, and attitudes toward prescription medication misuse. Participants were 3,160 university students aged 18-35 years. Univariate and multivariate linear regressions examined factors associated with attitudes toward prescription medication misuse. Results: Factors associated with more permissive attitudes were nonwhite ethnicity, international student status, alcohol, tobacco, and nicotine vapor use, depressive symptoms, and clinical level of anxiety symptoms. Female gender, part-time study, and mild anxiety symptoms were associated with less permissive attitudes toward prescription medication misuse. Older age was associated with more permissive attitudes toward medication misuse for recreational purposes. No factors were associated with attitudes toward misuse for academic purposes. Conclusions: Groups that have more permissive attitudes toward prescription medication misuse could be targeted by prevention programs. More investigation is needed regarding attitudes toward academic vs. recreational misuse of prescription medication.