Prescription drug misuse (PDM) is common among young adults with more than one-in-ten adults aged 18-25 reporting PDM. Among this age group, the most commonly misused prescription drugs include opioids, stimulants, and sedatives/tranquilizers. Many studies have shown that high school athletes who are involved in high-contact sports have an increased risk of PDM of opioids and stimulants. This may be due to the fact that this population is more likely to endure severe injury and/or this population may be more likely to engage in risky behaviors. This study examines the relationship between high-contact, semi-contact, and non-contact sports during the 12th grade and PDM between ages 17/18 and 27/28.
The study’s sample consisted of 4,772 12th graders who participated in the Monitoring the Future (MTF) study from 2006-2017. Prescription drug misuse was assessed at baseline and at each follow-up. Participants were also asked to report any competitive sport participation during the 12th grade year. Sports included in the high-contact category included football, ice-hockey, wrestling, and lacrosse. The semi-contact sports were baseball, basketball, field hockey, and soccer. Lastly, noncontact sports included cross-country, gymnastics, tennis, track, volleyball, and weightlifting. Data was analyzed using logistic regression models to assess for associations between contact sport participation and PDM.
Results of the data analysis showed that participants who had engaged in contact sports at age 17/18 had higher past-year PDM at ages 19/20 and 21/22 but similar PDM at ages 17/18 and 23/24 through 27/28. Among those who participated in contact sports, PDM of opioids was highest at age 17/18 and PDM of stimulants was highest at age 21/22. Participation in both contact and non-contact sports showed increased risk of initiation of PDM of stimulants. Participation in non-contact sports reduced the odds of initiating PDM of opioids compared to those who did not participate in non-contact sports during high school.
Takeaway: Involvement in contact and non-contact sports during high school may impact prescription drug misuse during the transition to adulthood.