Prescription Opioid Misuse Among School-Aged Adolescents: Gender Differences and Related Factors

Prescription opioid misuse has become one of the most frequent types of drug consumption among adolescents. Our objective was to report the prevalence, gender differences, and factors associated with prescription opioid misuse in school-aged adolescents. An observational study was conducted. We used the Spanish State Survey on Drug Use in Secondary Education 2018–2019, which covers drug use among students aged 14–18 years. Based on logistic multivariate regression models, we estimated the independent effect of each variable on prescription opioid misuse. Prescription opioid misuse was reported by 554 adolescents, with a greater prevalence in boys than girls (OR = 2.72). Misuse of tranquilizers, sedatives, sleeping pills, and other illicit psychoactive drugs (AOR = 9.32) are risk factors for prescription opioid misuse in both genders. Use of cannabis (AOR = 3.23) and cocaine (AOR = 2.28) is the predictor of prescription opioid misuse in females. There are differences in risk factors for prescription opioid misuse by gender.