Have you ever heard these words –hillbilly heroin, OC, a-minus, red birds, Vitamin R, and roses? There is no question we have heard some of these words. Yet, what is unexpected is they are all code words used by teens for prescription drugs per the National Institute on Drug Abuse for Teens (2016). Prescription drug abuse among teens has rapidly increased, and has become a public health concern. Teens who are abusing prescription drugs are at higher risk for other abusive problems (Milner, Ham, & Zamboanga, 2014.) With many other issues going on in today’s world, there is need to provide help and education to decrease the incidence of this issue. This paper will explore the epidemiology of this problem, explaining the web of causation, …show more content…
A study conducted by Viner et al. (2012) found that the structural factors such as access to resources, income, supportive schools and living environments are primary determinants to health of adolescents. Those living in environments with more crime and consider the environment not safe or please were more likely to have poorer health and more long term illnesses including mental illness (Smith et al., 2015). One important fact is parents that are abusing drugs or prescription drugs are likely to have children that experiment and become abusers themselves (“Substance Abuse Concerns”, 2016). Although there are many influences in a person’s life, the environment that a child grows up seems to play an important role on both health and healthy …show more content…
This is an important step for community members to understand the dangers of abusing prescription drugs (U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, 2013). o Intervention:
3. The community members will verbalize 5 risk factors for the potential to abuse prescription drugs by the end of the presentation. o Intervention: The nurse will observe the community for any potential risk factors. This will provide the necessary information to educate the community about risk factors that affect that specific community (Viner et al., 2012). o Intervention: The nurse will provide information and explanation regarding risk factors that can lead to prescription drug abuse. As adolescents, they are influential and their brain is still developing. It important they have the needed information to understand the situation at their level (U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, 2013).