The use and abuse of prescription medication to facilitate or enhance sexual behavior among adolescents.

Adolescents naturally experience an increased interest in sexual behavior, but they usually lack much experience. Thus, any prescription medication that holds the potential to ease or facilitate sexual matters holds a unique allure. Widespread cultural awareness of medications to treat erectile dysfunction (ED) has combined with a recent trend toward increased adolescent prescription drug abuse to create unique challenges for industry, clinicians, and researchers.

Intoxicated motor vehicle passengers: an overlooked at-risk population.

HYPOTHESES: Intoxicated motor vehicle passengers are similar to intoxicated drivers in recurrent health care encounters and risk of death for 5 years after injury. Intoxicated passengers have a greater risk of death than population controls. DESIGN: Historical cohort study. SETTING: University-based level I trauma center. PARTICIPANTS: Motor vehicle crash victims admitted to a level I trauma center in 1993. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Recurrent hospitalization, emergency department visits, survival analysis, and standardized mortality ratios for 5 years following injury. RESULTS: More than one quarter of intoxicated passengers and drivers had recurrent hospitalizations and emergency department visits. Intoxicated occupants were more likely to return to the hospital and the emergency department than nonintoxicated controls (odds ratios, 2.0 and 2.7, respectively). Intoxicated passengers were at increased risk of dying compared with nonintoxicated occupants (P = .008) and with the general population (standardized mortality ratio = 5.8). Intoxicated occupants were more likely to die an alcohol-related death (P< .001). CONCLUSIONS: Intoxicated passengers injured in a motor vehicle crash are similar to intoxicated drivers in recurrent hospitalizations and emergency department visits. Intoxicated passengers have an increased mortality rate in the 5 years following injury.

Intoxicated motor vehicle passengers warrant screening and treatment similar to intoxicated drivers.

BACKGROUND: Alcohol interventions decrease alcohol consumption and recurrent injury. The study hypotheses are (1) intoxicated passengers are similar to intoxicated drivers in crashes and driving under the influence of alcohol (DUI), and (2) DUI conviction rates after injury are low. METHODS: Intoxicated motor vehicle occupants hospitalized for injury in 1996-1998 were matched to the state traffic database for crashes and DUI. Drivers and passengers were compared for crashes and DUI in the 2 years preceding and 1 year after admission. Driver DUI citation at the time of admission was also recorded. A logistic regression model for crash and DUI probability was constructed. RESULTS: Six hundred seventy-four patients met inclusion criteria. In the 2 years preceding admission, passengers and drivers were equally cited for crashes (14.7% vs 19.3%, p = 0.12). In 1 year after admission, they were also equally cited (7.1% vs 7.7%, p = 0.92). Driver/passenger status was not a predictor by logistic regression; 13.4% of intoxicated drivers were convicted of DUI for the admitting crash. CONCLUSION: Intoxicated passengers and drivers are equally likely to be cited for crashes and DUI before and after admission for injury. Few admitted intoxicated drivers are convicted of DUI. Screening and intervention for all intoxicated crash occupants is warranted.