The journal of pain : official journal of the American Pain Society
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Prescription opioid misuse is a serious public health concern, yet antecedent factors are poorly described. Using data from the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent to Adult Health (N = 14,784), we examined the longitudinal relationship between a history of adolescent chronic pain and the odds of misusing prescription opioids in adulthood. The primary predictor variable was chronic pain status during adolescence. ⋯ Longitudinal associations between adolescent chronic pain and subsequent adult prescription opioid misuse highlight the need for early targeted screening and prevention efforts that may reduce later opioid misuse. Perspective: Using a large, nationally representative sample, we found that chronic pain during adolescence was an independent risk factor for opioid misuse in adulthood, over and above other known risk factors. Furthermore, among those individuals with adolescent chronic pain, substance use, exposure to trauma, and race were associated with opioid misuse.