Læknablaðið - 01.12.2017, Side 21

LÆKNAblaðið 2017/103 541
R A N N S Ó K N
ENGLISH SUMMARY
Introduction: ADHD is a neurodevelopmental disorder that usually
surfaces before seven years of age. Stimulants are commonly used
medications for the treatment of this disorder in Iceland, but they carry
with them a significant risk of both abuse and diversion – i.e. when it is
used by an individual other than it was prescribed for by a physician.
The purpose of this study was to estimate the prevalence of diversion
amongst Icelandic adolescents.
Material and methods: This study is based on data collected in the
Icelandic portion of the European School Survey Project on Alcohol
and Other Drugs (ESPAD) focused on the drug and alcohol use of 10th
graders in Europe.
Results: Of the 2,306 students that participated in the study 91%
(2,098) claimed they had never been prescribed stimulant medications
while 9% (208) claimed they had. Boys were twice as likely to get a
stimulant prescription compared to girls. Almost 18% of the participants
that had been prescribed simulants said they had at some point in time
diverted their stimulant medication.
Conclusion: The diversion of stimulants by 10th graders in Iceland
is quite common compared to studies from other countries where
the prevalence is closer to 5-10%. These findings demonstrate the
importance of carefully overseeing stimulant use of adolescents, for the
benefit of both those who divert as well as those diverted to.
The diversion of prescribed stimulant medications of 10th graders in Iceland
Gísli Kristófersson1, Ársæll Arnarsson2, Guðmundur Heimisson3, Dagbjörg Sigurðardóttir4
1School of Health Sciences, Akureyri, 2University of Iceland, Reykjavík, 3University of Akureyri, 4National University Hospital.
Key words: diversion, stimulants, ADHD, adolescents.
Correspondence: Gísli Konráðsson, gislik@unak.is
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