Experiences With Substance Use Disorder Treatment and the Role of Social Norms in the Asian American Pacific Islander Community: A Qualitative Study.

Abstract

Objectives: The Asian American Pacific Islander (AAPI) community accesses substance use disorder (SUD) services less frequently and at more advanced stages compared with the general population. Understanding experiences of AAPI patients with SUDs is important to identify opportunities to engage patients into treatment earlier and address community needs. This study explored the experiences of diverse AAPI patients with SUD and treatment services in a large urban setting, specifically examining influences of social norms within the AAPI community.

Methods: We conducted semi-structured qualitative interviews with AAPI participants who received SUD treatment in Los Angeles. Participants discussed their experiences with SUD and treatment services. We used the Rigorous and Accelerated Data Reduction (RADaR) data analysis approach to identify key themes related to SUD treatment experiences, specifically highlighting facilitators or barriers to accessing care.

Results: Among 20 interviews analyzed, the following themes were identified: the model minority myth, family dynamics, and AAPI community connection. Sub-themes are presented as facilitators or barriers to SUD treatment services.

Conclusions: We found that social norms within the AAPI community can be both facilitators and barriers to treatment. We explored the role of the model minority myth and saving face as barriers to care, and family dynamics rooted in cultural beliefs and AAPI community values as facilitators during recovery. These findings reveal opportunities for cultural nuances to be incorporated into SUD care, inform more inclusive clinical practices, and potentially improve AAPI patient outcomes. Such insights may help reduce stigma and enhance SUD treatment engagement in the AAPI community.