Table 3

Selected past year nonmedical use of prescription and illicit drugs, ADHD diversion study, National Survey of Drug Use and Health, 2005

Past Year Use


2005 Diversion
 2005 NSDUH





n = 4,297
 n = 32,104


%a
 SE
 %a
 SE
 Pb
 ESc
Illicit Drugs





     Marijuana
 14.63
 1.23
 15.01
 0.28
 0.76
 0.011
     Cocaine
 2.73
 0.44
 3.51
 0.14
 0.09
 0.042
     Methamphetamine
 0.71
 0.14
 0.80
 0.07
 0.55
 0.010
     Supravald
 0.09
 0.05



Prescription stimulantse





     Prescription diet pillsf
 0.81
 0.24
 n/a


     Ritalin or methylphenidate
 0.57
 0.14
 n/a


     Cylert or pemoline
 0.14
 0.07
 n/a


     Dexedrine, Dextrostat, or Dexampex
 0.43
 0.24
 n/a


     Dextroamphetamine
 0.32
 0.24
 n/a


Prescription stimulantse





     Preludin or phenmetrazine
 0.06
 0.05
 n/a


     Any Adderall
 0.92
 0.13
 n/a


          Adderall
 0.77
 0.13
 n/a


          Adderall XR
 0.55
 0.11
 n/a


     Concerta
 0.42
 0.18
 n/a


     Any ADHD stimulantsg
 1.96
 0.34
 n/a


ADHD Nonstimulants





     Modafanil
 0.12
 0.05
 n/a


     Strattera
 0.36
 0.24
 n/a


Any ADHD medicationsh
 2.01
 0.34
 n/a


     Used 1 or 2 times in past year
 0.49
 0.17
 n/a


     Used 3 or more times in past year
 1.50
 0.29
 n/a


ADHD = attention deficit hyperactivity disorder; n/a = Estimate not available from the 2005 NSDUH; NSDUH = National Survey of Drug Use and Health.

a Weighted to the U.S. population of noninstitutionalized civilian adults aged 18 to 49.

b P value derived from chi-square test in SUDAAN.

c Effect size, determined by the difference in prevalence estimates between the 2005 Diversion Study and the 2005 NSDUH. In the social sciences, an effect size is considered to be "small" when it is about 0.10, "medium" when it is about 0.30, and "large" when it is about 0.50, based on Cohen's d (1988) [32].

d Fictitious drug used to assess reporting bias.

e Nonmedical use.

f Examples given in both studies were amphetamines, Benzedrine, Biphetamine, Fastin, or phentermine. Because some of these medications may be used to treat ADHD (e.g., amphetamines), respondents in the 2005 Diversion Study who reported lifetime nonmedical use of "prescription diet pills" were subsequently asked separate questions about nonmedical use of (a) amphetamines; (b) Benzedrine; (c) Biphetamine; (d) Fastin, or phentermine; or (e)some other prescription diet pill.

g ADHD stimulants referred to any of the following: amphetamines or dextroamphetamine (including any form of Adderall, Biphetamine, Dexedrine, Dextrostat, or Dexampex); any form of methylphenidate or dexmethylphenidate (including Ritalin, Concerta, Methylin, or Focalin); or Cylert or pemoline.

h Nonmedical use of any ADHD stimulants or nonstimulants in the period of interest.

Novak et al. Substance Abuse Treatment, Prevention, and Policy 2007 2:32   doi:10.1186/1747-597X-2-32

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