Examining the Relationship between Social Context and Prescription Opioid Initiation Routes among Young Adults Entering Medical Detoxification

This paper examines the social context surrounding prescription opioid (PO) initiation and its relationship to route of administration among twenty young adults entering medical detoxification for opioid dependence. PO use was initiated either orally (n=10) or via alternate routes (n=10); the majority of the participants initiated in a social setting (n=15). Four categories of PO initiation emerged: with peers at school/social events; with fellow employees at work; with family; or alone. All initiating with alternative routes did so within a social context (n=10). Results suggest that the social context of initiation influences the use of alternate routes of administration.