Study estimates prevalence of adolescents identifying as being 'in recovery'

The prevalence of adolescents identifying as being in recovery and resolving problems with substances is estimated in a study published online Dec. 19 in PLOS ONE.

Douglas C. Smith, Ph.D., from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, and colleagues estimated the prevalence of recovery status in a large statewide epidemiological survey involving high school students in ninth through 12th grades administered between January and March 2020.

Youth who reported recovery and problem-resolving dual status (DS), recovery only (RO), and problem resolution only (PRO) were compared to control groups reporting neither status in a propensity score-matched analysis.

The researchers found that the prevalence estimates were 1.4, 2.5, and 2.9 percent for DS, PRO, and RO, respectively. All three groups had significantly lower odds of prescription drug use compared with propensity-matched controls. The odds of past-month cannabis use were lower for the PRO group. No significant differences were seen for alcohol use or binge alcohol use.

"These findings have large implications for medical professionals designing recovery supports for adolescents and emerging adults," Smith said in a statement. "It suggests a pressing need for more research on community-dwelling youth in recovery to uncover the best approaches for engaging them in the course of experiencing a substance use disorder."