Racial and ethnic differences in self-reported barriers to substance use treatment among emergency department patients

Background and Objectives

As overdose rates rise among non-White Americans, understanding barriers to substance use disorder (SUD) treatment access by race and ethnicity is important. This study explores self-reported barriers to SUD treatment by race and ethnicity in emergency department (ED) populations.

Methods

We conducted a secondary, exploratory analysis of a randomized trial of patients not seeking SUD treatment who endorsed active drug use at six academic EDs. Responses to the Barriers to Treatment Inventory were compared by race, ethnicity, and drug severity, using χ² tests (N = 858), followed by adjusted logistic regression models.

Results

Absence of a perceived drug problem (39% non-Hispanic Black, 38% Hispanic, 50% non-Hispanic White; p ≤ .001) was the most prevalent barrier to SUD treatment. Non-Hispanic Black participants were less likely to state that they could handle their drug use on their own (OR = 0.69, CI = 0.50–0.95), and were more likely to report disliking personal questions than non-Hispanic White participants (OR = 1.49, CI = 1.07–2.09). Non-Hispanic Black participants were less likely than Hispanic participants to agree that treatment availability (OR = 0.46, CI = 0.28–0.76) and family disapproval (OR = 0.38, CI = 0.16–0.91) were treatment barriers.

Discussion and Conclusions

Screening and counseling may help address the barrier, common to all groups, that drug use was not seen as problematic. Expanding access to diverse treatment options may also address the range of barriers reported by our study population.

Scientific Significance

Our study is one of the first in the U.S. to examine both individual and structural barriers to accessing treatment and to examine the association with drug use severity by race/ethnicity.