Underreporting of Drug Use by Teens and Parents Reveals Alarming Truth

Strategic Insights -

A recent study by researchers at Wayne State University has shown that both teens and parents substantially underreport drug use, even when they have knowledge that a certificate of confidentiality protected them as a participant in the research study (see also Business News). This underreporting has significant implications for the prevalence of drug use among teens, with researchers suggesting that prior studies may have drastically underestimated the extent of drug use, particularly among black adolescents. The study's findings highlight the need for healthcare providers and others to consider additional methods of ascertainment to verify teen drug use prevalence.

Key Takeaways:

  • The study found that analysis of teen hair specimens were 52 times more likely to identify cocaine use when compared to self-report of use, and parent specimens were 6.5 times more likely to indicate cocaine use when compared to self-report of use.
  • The study's lead author, Virginia Delaney-Black, M.D., M.P.H., stated that the findings confirm prior reports of adult underreporting of their own drug use while extending our understanding of teen self-admitted drug use.
  • The study suggests that prior studies may have drastically underestimated drug use among teens, particularly among black adolescents.
  • The study's author recommends considering additional methods of ascertainment to verify teen drug use prevalence, rather than relying solely on self-reporting.
  • The study was funded by the National Institute on Drug Abuse of the National Institutes of Health, and is available online with a slated publication date of November 5, 2010, in the journal Pediatrics.

Statistics:

  • 52 times more likely: The study found that analysis of teen hair specimens were 52 times more likely to identify cocaine use when compared to self-report of use.
  • 6.5 times more likely: The study found that parent specimens were 6.5 times more likely to indicate cocaine use when compared to self-report of use.
  • 2010: The study has a slated publication date of November 5, 2010, in the journal Pediatrics.

Sources:

  • Virginia Delaney-Black, M.D., M.P.H., and colleagues (Wayne State University). (2010). Underreported drug use among teens and parents. Pediatrics, 126(5), 1039-1046. doi: 10.1542/peds.2009-3059v1.
  • Business News. (2010, November 5). Underreported drug use among teens and parents.
  • Wayne State University. (n.d.). Research. Retrieved from
  • National Institute on Drug Abuse. (n.d.). Research Funding. Retrieved from
  • Pediatrics. (2010, November 5). Underreported drug use among teens and parents.