Behavioral Health Trends in the United States: Results from the 2014 National Survey on Drug Use and Health
This annual report shares data about mental health and substance use, focusing on particular points in time, broken out by age ranges. Such information is useful in analyzing changes and trends and covers topics including suicide, substance use treatment, mental health services, onset of use data, and information on protective and risk factors.
The cost of opioid use disorder and the value of aversion
The consequences of opioid misuse impact human lives, families, and communities, and also have a societal and economic impact. This study analyzes the financial burden of the opioid epidemic to create a framework for responsible use of limited resources. Perspectives of taxpayers, society, and the healthcare sector are considered in estimating the mean value of opioid use disorder (OUD) aversion and are categorized by age. Data from 2015 – 2018 was used, a period which was marked by a decrease of OUD, but an increase in spending on the diagnosis. Most of this financial impact was attributed to an increasing amount of fentanyl supply and use.
More than two-thirds of Americans don’t know how to properly dispose medications, new research reveals
The majority of Americans are not aware of safe medication disposal practices and tend to keep unused medications to avoid doctor visits and to save money. Common practices include throwing pharmaceuticals in the trash and flushing them. The article highlights safe disposal practices and emphasizes the need to implement them as a way to avoid societal harm.
Results from the 2020 National Survey on Drug Use and Health (NSDUH): Key Substance Use and Mental Health Indicators in the United States
This annual report by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) addresses key indicators of substance use and mental health among adolescents and adults. Unlike earlier surveys, this one was conducted during the COVID-19 pandemic and utilized a different survey instrument. Notably, it employed web-based interviews and used criteria from the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Health Disorders, 5th edition (DSM-5), replacing the previous DSM-IV criteria.
College students rarely seek help despite serious substance use problems
There is an opportunity for substance use disorder (SUD) prevention efforts among college students, with less than 9 percent of college students seeking help for issues involving alcohol and marijuana. Social pressure, whether formal or informal, was shown to be a key factor in individuals taking the step to ask for help. SUD severity did not play a critical role, nor did a self-perceived need for aid. Study results highlight a need for more and better information about ways to encourage early intervention and identification of SUD among this population.
How People Obtain the Prescription Pain Relievers They Misuse
This article highlights how people acquire prescription pain medication for nonmedical use and concludes that most are secured at no cost through friends, family, and medical providers. Such information is valuable for prevention efforts and allows for a better understanding of the ways and means individuals come in contact with potentially addictive substances. The article suggests that Americans not share prescription pain medication and dispose of any remaining medicine when the need for the prescription has passed as a way to minimize misuse.
Medication-Assisted Treatment and Opioid Use Before and After Overdose in Pennsylvania
This study analyzes the prescribing of opioids and medication-assisted treatment (MAT) to people who had experienced a non-fatal opioid overdose and who received their healthcare coverage through Medicaid in Pennsylvania. Individuals who have coverage through Medicaid have a three-fold risk of opioid overdose compared to those who have commercial healthcare coverage. The analysis included rates of MAT use, duration of using opioids, and prescription opioid use status prior to and following an overdose event. Results showed that patients had minimum increases in MAT use and a continued high level of prescription opioid use, suggesting that the state has ample room to improve its current system and to improve health outcomes for this at-risk population.
Key Substance Use and Mental Health Indicators in the United States
The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) presents Key Substance Use and Mental Health Indicators in the United States: Results from the 2021 National Survey on Drug Use and Health. The National Survey on Drug Use and Health (NSDUH) is an annual survey sponsored by SAMHSA, within the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. The 2021 NSDUH used multimode data collection, in which 69,850 respondents aged 12 or older completed the survey in person or via the web. Estimates based on multimode data collection in 2021 are not comparable with estimates from 2020 or prior years. Therefore, this report presents NSDUH estimates from
2021 only.