Population Health Research Brief Series

Prescription medication misuse (i.e., taking a medication not prescribed for you, or taking it in a way not directed by a doctor) is a long-term population heath problem in the United States.

This data slice explores how the number of chronic health conditions a person has is related to their likelihood of misusing prescription opioids, tranquilizers, sedatives, or stimulants in the past 12 months.

The authors find that misuse rises steadily with each additional chronic condition, and that mental health conditions are more strongly linked to misuse than physical health conditions.