Drug and alcohol treatment utilization and barriers among Black, American Indian/Alaskan Native, Latine, Asian/Pacific Islander/Native Hawaiian, and White adults: Findings from NESARC-III

Background: Existing epidemiological data suggest differences across racial/ethnic groups in drug and alcohol treatment utilization and barriers to treatment and typically include only Black, Latine, and White adults. The objective of this study was to examine whether disparities remain for DSM-5 lifetime alcohol use disorder (AUD) and drug use disorder (DUD) treatment utilization and barriers across Black, American Indian/Alaska Native (AI/ AN), Latine, Asian/Pacific Islander/Native Hawaiian (Asian/PI/NH), and White adults. Methods: The current study conducted secondary analyses on data from the National Epidemiological Survey on Alcohol and Related Conditions (NESARC-III). Regression analyses, followed by pairwise comparisons, investigated differences across racial/ethnic groups. Results: Analyses indicated differences across racial/ethnic groups in AUD treatment utilization. White and AI/ AN adults were more likely to utilize a health care professional than were Black adults. Asian/PI/NH and Latine adults were more likely to endorse language as a barrier to AUD treatment than were White adults. Black adults were more likely to use 12-step programs for DUD treatment utilization than were White and Latine adults, and Black and White adults were more likely to use outpatient programs than were Latine adults. Further, Black adults were more likely than Asian/PI/NH and Latine adults to use specialty DUD treatment. AI/AN, Asian/PI/ NH, and White adults were more likely to endorse fear of what others would think as a barrier to DUD treatment relative to Black adults. AI/AN adults were more likely to endorse fear of being hospitalized relative to Black, Latine, and White adults. Asian/PI/NH and Latine adults were more likely to indicate that the hours were inconvenient relative to Black and White adults. White adults were more likely to endorse a family member objected relative to Black adults. AI/AN and White adults were more likely to endorse they stopped on their own relative to Black, Asian/PI/NH, and Latine adults. Further, AI/AN and White adults reported the greatest number of barriers to DUD treatment. Conclusions: Differences remain across racial/ethnic group in drug and alcohol treatment utilization and barriers to treatment. Future research aimed at increasing treatment utilization across racial/ethnic groups should focus on social determinants of health.

Automated summary

Disparities in drug and alcohol treatment utilization and barriers exist across racial/ethnic groups, with language barriers more common among Black, Asian/PI/NH, and Latine adults, while White and AI/AN adults are more likely to access healthcare professionals for treatment. Further research should focus on social determinants of health to increase treatment utilization among different racial/ethnic groups.