Nonmedical Prescription Analgesic Use and Concurrent Alcohol Consumption among College Students

Background: Research has linked heavy alcohol use with non-medical prescription analgesic use, but no studies have focused on concurrent use. Objectives: To understand the extent to which alcohol use and nonmedical prescription analgesic use co-occur among college students. Methods: The Timeline Followback method was used to split the sample (n = 1,118) into three groups based on their alcohol and nonmedical prescription analgesic use. Results: Of all nonmedical prescription analgesic users, 58% (n = 90) were concurrent users. Concurrent users consumed more drinks per drinking day (7.5) than non-concurrent (5.8) and alcohol-only users (5.2), and drank more often (74.4% of days in the past six months, vs. 45.7% and 36.8%, respectively). Conclusions and Scientific Significance: Concurrent alcohol and analgesic use is prevalent among nonmedical users of prescription analgesics. Findings suggest a need for heightened awareness and increased research of the risks of coingestion.