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rescription and over-the-counter
Prescription and (OTC) drug abuse accounted for a
small fraction (3 percent) of the 1.6
Over-the-Counter million admissions reported to the Treat-
ment Episode Data Set (TEDS) in 1999.
Drug Abuse Prescription drugs in TEDS are grouped as
follows: prescription narcotics (e.g.,
Admissions Demerol), prescription stimulants (e.g.,
Ritalin), tranquilizers (e.g., diazepam), and
sedatives (e.g., Seconal). OTC drugs include
In Brief aspirin, cough syrup, and any other legally-
obtained nonprescription medication.
● In 1999, 87 percent of Nearly half (46 percent) of the 44,000
admissions for prescription treatment admissions for primary prescrip-
and OTC drug abuse were tion and OTC drug abuse in 1999 were for
among Whites prescription narcotic drugs. Prescription
stimulant drugs accounted for an additional
● Admissions for abuse of one third (33 percent) of admissions, while
tranquilizers and sedatives tranquilizers accounted for 11 percent. Seda-
were more likely to be fe- tives and OTC medications made up 7
male; admissions for abuse percent and 2 percent of these admissions,
of prescription stimulants respectively.
and OTC drugs were more TEDS is a compilation of data on the
likely to be male demographic characteristics and substance
abuse problems of those admitted for sub-
● Age at admission for pre- stance abuse treatment. The information
scription stimulants was comes primarily from facilities that receive
generally younger than for some public funding. TEDS records repre-
other prescription or OTC sent admissions rather than individuals, as a
drugs person may be admitted to treatment more
than once.
The DASIS Report is published periodically by the Office of Applied Studies, Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration
(SAMHSA). All material appearing in this report is in the public domain and may be reproduced or copied without permission from SAMHSA.
Additional copies of this report may be downloaded from http://www.samhsa.gov/oas/dasis.htm. Citation of the source is appreciated. Other
reports from the Office of Applied Studies are also available on-line: http://www.DrugAbuseStatistics.samhsa.gov/.
DASIS REPORT: PRESCRIPTION AND OVER-THE-COUNTER DRUG ABUSE ADMISSIONS July 26, 2002
Figure 1. All Admissions and Prescription/OTC Drug Admissions, Percentage by Race/Ethnicity: 1999
4.8% 4.2%
4.5%
11.5% 4.7%
White
Black
23.3% Hispanic
60.4% Other
86.6%
Figure 2. Prescription and OTC Drug Figure 3. Prescription and OTC Drug Admissions,
Admissions, Percentage by Sex: 1999 Percentage by Age at Admission: 1999
80 5
67.3
57.6 58.6 4
60 55.9
49.7 50.3
Percent
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of prescription narcotic admis- One quarter to one third of to treatment occurred in relatively
sions resulted from a self- or admissions for abuse of prescrip- similar proportions across the
individual referral compared with tion drugs other than prescription different prescription and OTC
30 to 37 percent of other pre- stimulants were the result of a drug types and ranged from 9
scription and OTC drug admis- referral by substance abuse and percent of admissions for pre-
sions. Referrals from the criminal health care providers, while only scription narcotic abuse to 16
justice system were most likely to 11 percent of admissions for percent of admissions for pre-
occur among admissions for prescription stimulant abuse scription stimulant abuse.
prescription stimulant abuse (44 resulted from
percent) and least likely to occur this referral
among admissions for prescrip- source. Com- The Drug and Alcohol Services Information System (DASIS) is an
integrated data system maintained by the Office of Applied Studies,
tion narcotic abuse (15 percent). munity referrals Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA).
One component of DASIS is the Treatment Episode Data Set (TEDS).
TEDS is a compilation of data on the demographic characteristics and
substance abuse problems of those admitted for substance abuse
treatment. The information comes primarily from facilities that receive
some public funding. Information on treatment admissions is routinely
Figure 4. Prescription and OTC Drug Admissions, collected by State administrative systems and then submitted to
Percentage by Source of Referral: 1999 SAMHSA in a standard format. Approximately 1.6 million records are
included in TEDS each year. TEDS records represent admissions rather
than individuals, as a person may be admitted to treatment more than
100 once.
8.7 15.9 11.1 12.2 10.7 Community
Referral The DASIS Report is prepared by the Office of Applied Studies,
80 25.8 10.8 25.2 SAMHSA; Synectics for Management Decisions, Inc., Arlington, Virginia;
33.1 27.8
Substance and RTI, Research Triangle Park, North Carolina.
Percent
60 14.9 Abuse/Health Information and data for this issue are based on data reported to TEDS
43.6 24.0 31.7 Care Provider
19.2 through April 16, 2001.
40
Criminal Justice Access the latest TEDS reports at:
50.6 System
20 29.6 36.6 35.9 32.4 http://www.samhsa.gov/oas/dasis.htm
Self/Individual Access the latest TEDS public use files at:
0
http://www.samhsa.gov/oas/SAMHDA.htm
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