Cough Medicine Abuse among Young People in Hong Kong

This study attempted to examine cough medicine abuse amongst young people in Hong Kong. There were three parts in this study. The first part was based on a quantitative survey of the pattern and psychosocial correlates of young cough medicine abusers in Hong Kong (160 cough medicine abusers and 65 nonabusers). In the second part of the study, focus groups were conducted involving young cough medicine abusers (N=8), parents of cough medicine abusers (N=5), and social workers (N=6). Repertory grid tests were carried out in the third part of the research (N=11) to examine adolescent substance abusers’ personal constructions of cough medicine in relation to other drugs and non-drugs. Triangulation of the findings based on the three parts of the research suggests that several factors at the personal, interpersonal, family and community levels are closely related to cough medicine abuse amongst young people in Hong Kong.