Getting in Front of Opioid Addiction: Research on Opioid Health Messages and Communications for Young Adults

Background: The normalization of opioid use is a significant problem, particularly among young adults who are at risk of misusing opioids at a higher rate than other groups. Although research on opioid misuse in general is well established, more information is needed on the characteristics of recreational young adult opioid users and how to prevent their progression to addiction.

Program background:Developing an intervention that is cost-effective at reaching at-risk young adults while minimizing waste requires a targeted approach. Peer crowd segmentation presents a unique opportunity to reduce drug use disparities by targeting the most at-risk young adults.

Peer Crowds are the macro-level connections between peer groups with similar interests, lifestyles, influencers and habits. They can mediate social risk behaviors such as drug use. This research recruited high-risk young adults at bars and clubs to understand their peer crowds, attitudes and beliefs about opioid use, common barriers to quitting opioid use, and ways to improve treatment programs. Distinct patterns of opioid use were observed in the 6 peer crowds identified: Alternative, Partiers, Mainstream, Townies, Hip Hop, and Country.

Evaluation Methods and Results:Fifteen one-on-one interviews in 5 counties in Vermont with young adults 18 to 25 years old focused on understanding young adult perceptions of recreational opioid use, the path of addiction, and barriers to quitting. Then, focus groups showed that high-risk young adults aren’t actually seeking out opioids, often mix painkillers with alcohol, do not believe addiction or overdose will happen to them, and are receptive to learning more about opioids, including the dangers of use.

Two peer crowds, Partiers and Townies, were more likely to have access to and use opioids for nonmedical reasons than other young adults. Focus groups showed a knowledge gap--that these young adults lack understanding about the real risk of these drugs, including the risks of overdose when mixed with alcohol and their similarity to harder opioids like heroin. Messages that explain the chemistry of opioids increased the perceived risk. In addition, messages that showed the progress from a “normal” young adult to an addicted heroin user helped young adults relate to the message. Messages warning about the extreme consequences of addiction without relating to these young adult’s current, less frequent use were perceived to be fear-mongering.

Providing Partiers and Townies with this knowledge can stop some from taking opioids recreationally in the future. Targeting high-risk peer crowds can produce the most efficient and cost-effective means of reaching at-risk young adults.

Conclusions: Peer crowd segmentation can be used to better reach high-risk young adults, not only resulting in greater impact but also minimized waste. Peer crowd identification was a relevant factor in opioid risk levels.

Implications for research and/or practice: The presentation will cover the psychographics of young adult opioid users that were used to inform campaign strategies as well as learnings from unique venue-based recruitment methods that reach the hardest to reach youth. These findings can be used to inform future health campaigns to reduce opioid misuse among young adults in Vermont and across the country.