Posters
Presentation Type
Poster
Discipline Track
Community/Public Health
Abstract Type
Research/Clinical
Abstract
Background: In 2019, it was reported by the National Survey of Drug Use and Health (NSDUH) that 10.1 million Americans misuse pain relievers, and of those individuals, 50.8% were not prescribed by a health care provider. The same report also indicates that there is a direct correlation between substance use and mental health disorders (NSDUH, 2019). In 2020, the NSDUH reported that 49.5% of Americans do not receive mental health treatment for their substance use disorder. Of that percentage, 30.4% did not receive treatment for health insurance reasons. According to the CDC, 31.6 million Americans reported not being insured in 2020.
Objective: The objective of this study is to examine trends in uninsured Americans that misuse non-prescribed pain relievers from various ethnic, educational attainment, and age groups. Moreover, individuals' mental health status and whether or not they attended support groups will also be examined.
Methods: Data used in this study were obtained from the 2011-2020 NSDUH. Besides demographic data, NSDUH conducts national surveys to monitor individuals’ substance use history, treatment history, and perceived need for treatment among civilian populations aged 12 and older. The data helps to estimate trends over time and determine the need for treatment.
Results: This study expects to explore the relationship between non-prescribed pain reliever usage and support group participation among different ethnic, educational attainment, and age groups. By exploring the data, we expect to find a significant difference among demographic groups and a correlation between uninsured Americans that misuse non-prescribed pain relievers and those that attend support groups.
Academic/Professional Position
Graduate Student
Recommended Citation
Guajardo, Samantha M. and Chang, Wan-Lin, "Non-Prescribed Pain Reliever Trends from 2011-2020 and their Effects on Uninsured Americans’ Mental Health" (2023). Research Symposium. 98.
https://scholarworks.utrgv.edu/somrs/2022/posters/98
Non-Prescribed Pain Reliever Trends from 2011-2020 and their Effects on Uninsured Americans’ Mental Health
Background: In 2019, it was reported by the National Survey of Drug Use and Health (NSDUH) that 10.1 million Americans misuse pain relievers, and of those individuals, 50.8% were not prescribed by a health care provider. The same report also indicates that there is a direct correlation between substance use and mental health disorders (NSDUH, 2019). In 2020, the NSDUH reported that 49.5% of Americans do not receive mental health treatment for their substance use disorder. Of that percentage, 30.4% did not receive treatment for health insurance reasons. According to the CDC, 31.6 million Americans reported not being insured in 2020.
Objective: The objective of this study is to examine trends in uninsured Americans that misuse non-prescribed pain relievers from various ethnic, educational attainment, and age groups. Moreover, individuals' mental health status and whether or not they attended support groups will also be examined.
Methods: Data used in this study were obtained from the 2011-2020 NSDUH. Besides demographic data, NSDUH conducts national surveys to monitor individuals’ substance use history, treatment history, and perceived need for treatment among civilian populations aged 12 and older. The data helps to estimate trends over time and determine the need for treatment.
Results: This study expects to explore the relationship between non-prescribed pain reliever usage and support group participation among different ethnic, educational attainment, and age groups. By exploring the data, we expect to find a significant difference among demographic groups and a correlation between uninsured Americans that misuse non-prescribed pain relievers and those that attend support groups.