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Drug misuse continues to be a pervasive problem in the US.
Use of illicit drugs can have disastrous health consequences, especially for disadvantaged populations like Latinos, and can lead to premature death.
While there are methods to combat addiction, lack of information, lack of insurance, and less access to treatment facilities can get in the way of seeking treatment.
The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) recently released its annual report on the state of mental health and substance use in the US.
Based on results from the 2023 National Survey on Drug Use and Health, Key Substance Use and Mental Health Indicators in the United States covers mental health and substance use, including tobacco, illicit drugs, and more.
So far, we have covered alcohol, tobacco and vaping, marijuana use, and illicit drug use among Latinos.
In the next part of our series, we’re going to dig back into the report and find out how Latinos seek out substance use treatment and address some of the barriers that prevent them from accessing it.
Substance Use Treatment
To address overuse of drugs, alcohol, and other substances, individuals often seek out substance use treatment for help.
The HHS report determined that 19.1% of people aged 12 or older, or 54.2 million, required treatment in 2023.
Among those who needed treatment, 28.7% (9.8 million) were people between ages 18 and 25 followed by people 26 or older at 18.6% (41.5 million).
The majority of those who needed treatment were American Indian or Alaska Native (30.6%) followed by Multiracial (26.2%), White (19.9%), Black (19.7%), Latino (17.5%), and Asian individuals (10.5%).
Treatment for these disorders can come in the form of professional counseling, medication, or other treatment, including treatment facilities and programs.
Of those who needed treatment, 4.5% or 12.8 million people aged 12 or older received treatment for substance use in 2023.
Racially and ethnically, American Indian or Alaska Native individuals (9.5%) received the most substance use treatment compared to Asian and Black individuals at 2.2% and 3.7% respectively.
Substance Use Treatment Methods
By treatment method, 9.8 million (3.5%) received outpatient treatment, 8.1 million of them did so in a different setting than a general medical clinic or doctor’s office.
1.4% (4 million) got treatment through telehealth visits, 1.2% (3.5 million) received inpatient treatment, .8% (2.3 million), 0.3% (797,000) received treatment in prison or jail, and 0.4% (1.1 million) got assistance through medical-assisted treatment (MAT) for opioid and alcohol use.
MAT is described as “medications prescribed by a doctor to help people reduce or stop their use of alcohol or opioids.”
Examples of these drugs are acamprosate (Campral), disulfiram (Antabuse), naltrexone pills (ReVia or Trexan), and injectable naltrexone (Vivitrol).
As a form of treatment for opioid use, 0.8% (2.3 million) received MAT.
Another 1 million (18%) suffering from an opioid use disorder in 2023 received MAT.
It’s worth noting that in-person treatment slowed during the time of COVID-19, and many sought supportthrough telehealth visits, which increased by 143% between 2020 and 2021.
6.2% (3 million) received telehealth treatments for substance use disorders in 2023.
Telehealth visits for substance use disorders ranged from 3.1% Asian individuals and 6.7% for White and Latino individuals, respectively.
Treatments and interventions differ when it comes to alcohol and drugs, or a combination of the two.
While some have sought more direct interventions, others have turned to help from support groups, including peer support specialists or recovery coaches, emergency room services, or detoxification or withdrawal support services.
Of those who received these services in 2023 to help with alcohol or drugs, 2.1% (5.8 million) participated in support groups, 0.8% (2.3 million) got help from a peer support specialist or recovery coach, 0.7% (1.9 million) visited an emergency room, and 0.4% (1.2 million) received detoxification or withdrawal support services.
Substance Use Treatment Perceptions and Barriers
Many of those who don’t seek treatment for substance use disorders may assume that intervention isn’t necessary.
Of the 39.6 million adults who needed treatment and didn’t receive it in 2023, 94.7% (36.7 million) believed they didn’t need treatment.
Another 5.3% (2 million) who needed treatment and didn’t seek it in 2023, believed they should get it.
Racially and ethnically, those who needed treatment but didn’t get it because they perceived they didn’t need it ranged from 91.6% Multiracial to 97.1% Latino individuals.
For those who didn’t perceive a need for treatment, 74.1% thought they could handle the disorder on their own, 65.6% admit they weren’t ready to begin treatment, and 60.1% claimed they weren’t ready to cut back or stop using substances.
Other reasons included, worrying about what other people thought or said if they received treatment (43.9%), cost (42.4%), time (41%), lack of knowledge of how or where to get treatment (38.7%), fear of information privacy (34.8%), fear of losing job, relationships, or children (33.5%), and insufficient health insurance (31.9%).
When it comes to treatments for adolescents, 1.8 million adolescents with substance use disorders did not receive treatment.
Of those 1.8 million, 96.6% (1.6 million) didn’t get treatment because they didn’t perceive the needed it.
There wasn’t sufficient reporting data for the adolescent age group to support if health insurance coverage or cost played a role in not seeking treatment.
Addressing Barriers to Substance Use Treatment
Latinos continue to be disproportionately impacted by substance misuse, often stemming from the lack of treatment options.
Those living in low-income, rural parts of the country may have limited access to treatment facilities and programs, making treatment hard to come by.
The COVID-19 pandemic widened the gap in treatment access when some of these programs, especially support groups, were suspended, which may have attributed to the spike in drug-related deaths.
One thing to come out of the pandemic and country-wide shutdown was the emergence of telehealth, which many have utilized as a primary form of treatment and therapy.
The use of telehealth created more accessible opportunities for those struggling with substance misuse disorders to seek treatment.
However, there are still barriers, such as affordable internet access and infrastructure that impacts connectivity, that should be addressed.
Insurance is another primary barrier to treatment for many Latinos.
Latinos are among some of the most uninsured populations in the US. Lack of insurance keeps many Latinos from receiving the healthcare they need along with preventing treatment for substance use disorders due to cost.
To improve access to substance use treatments, we must fix the gaps in the healthcare coverage system.
While there are ways for low-income Latinos to obtain affordable healthcare through either Medicaid or the Affordable Care Act, these programs can be confusing to navigate, time-sensitive, have strict requirements, and may be limited on the types of care covered.
Expanding Medicaid programs in states could help families on the cusp of eligibility and opening the healthcare Marketplace year-round can assist families that may have a gap in coverage because of job loss.
For Latinos, cultural barriers, including language, can also be a hindrance to seeking treatment.
To find treatments, including those offered in Spanish visit the SAMSHA Find Treatment website.
What’s more, the gap in knowledge surrounding treatment options is a big problem, which can be addressed through public health outreach that engages the Latino community.
There have been efforts to understand and address the core problems related to substance misuse in the Latino community and other communities of color.
The CDC is working closely with other federal agencies to create resources and interventions that help people to prevent and respond to drug overdoses.
Together they created a five-point strategy that provides better treatment, better data, better research, and better pain management when it comes to opioid use.
Meanwhile, others are working at the local level to mitigate the effects of substance use disorders.
For instance, researchers in San Antonio are educating first responders in Bexar County on how to identify and reverse an opioid overdose.
Make an Effort to Improve the Health of Your Community
Do you know where your community stands on important health equity issues such as housing, education, transportation, and access to medical care?
The health of your community is important.
Stay ahead of the curve by arming yourself with the resources you need to improve health outcomes where you live!
To get the latest data on your community, download a Health Equity Report Card from Salud America! at UT Health San Antonio.
The Health Equity Report Card gives you a customized report outlining the issues in your community, so you can find ways to raise the score to health equity.
With the Health Equity Report Card, you can compare where your community falls on these issues and compare them with the rest of the state or the country.
Use the information to solicit local leaders for change, share on social media, or start a community project.
The health of your community is in your hands.
By The Numbers
142
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Expected rise in Latino cancer cases in coming years