Almost 1 in 10 Americans Has Lifelong Drug Problem
Almost 1 in 10 Americans Has Lifelong Drug Problem
By Alan Mozes
HealthDay Reporter
WEDNESDAY, Nov. 18, 2015 (HealthDay News) -- Nearly one in 10 Americans has some type of lifelong drug use disorder, a new federal government survey finds.
But only a quarter of them get the treatment they need, researchers said.
The findings stem from a large U.S. National Institutes of Health survey. It's the first survey based on updated mental health guidelines that set a higher bar for diagnosing drug addiction than previous guidelines.
"But the seriousness and persistence of the situation doesn't appear to have changed all that drastically since our last look at this," said study lead author Bridget Grant.
"What we see," Grant added, "is that a little over 23 million Americans are directly affected with a lifelong problem. And many more are affected when you consider that the issue involves not just the user but also the user's family and social network. And on top of that we also see that treatment rates are really not that great."
Grant, a senior investigator at the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism's Laboratory of Epidemiology and Biometry, and her colleagues discussed the survey results in the Nov. 18 online issue of JAMA Psychiatry.
Drug use disorder occurs when the consistent use of a drug "causes clinically and functionally significant impairment, such as health problems, disability, and failure to meet major responsibilities at work, school, or home," according to the U.S. Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration.
To get a snapshot of current national drug abuse patterns, the researchers conducted in-person interviews with more than 36,000 adults over age 18 between 2012 and 2013.
The survey focused on the use of marijuana, amphetamines, club drugs (such as Ecstasy), cocaine, hallucinogens, heroin, narcotic painkillers, sedatives/tranquilizers and solvents/inhalants. Drug use was assessed collectively, rather than broken down one by one. Drinking patterns weren't assessed at all.
Based on survey responses, the investigators determined that the general risk for having a lifelong drug use disorder was highest among whites, Native Americans, men, singles, people between 18 and 44, and those with lower incomes and educational backgrounds. The study also found that people with mental health illnesses, such as depression, bipolar disorder, PTSD, personality disorders, anxiety, panic and social disorders were more likely to have a lifelong drug use disorder.
HealthDay Reporter
WEDNESDAY, Nov. 18, 2015 (HealthDay News) -- Nearly one in 10 Americans has some type of lifelong drug use disorder, a new federal government survey finds.
But only a quarter of them get the treatment they need, researchers said.
The findings stem from a large U.S. National Institutes of Health survey. It's the first survey based on updated mental health guidelines that set a higher bar for diagnosing drug addiction than previous guidelines.
"But the seriousness and persistence of the situation doesn't appear to have changed all that drastically since our last look at this," said study lead author Bridget Grant.
"What we see," Grant added, "is that a little over 23 million Americans are directly affected with a lifelong problem. And many more are affected when you consider that the issue involves not just the user but also the user's family and social network. And on top of that we also see that treatment rates are really not that great."
Grant, a senior investigator at the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism's Laboratory of Epidemiology and Biometry, and her colleagues discussed the survey results in the Nov. 18 online issue of JAMA Psychiatry.
Drug use disorder occurs when the consistent use of a drug "causes clinically and functionally significant impairment, such as health problems, disability, and failure to meet major responsibilities at work, school, or home," according to the U.S. Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration.
To get a snapshot of current national drug abuse patterns, the researchers conducted in-person interviews with more than 36,000 adults over age 18 between 2012 and 2013.
The survey focused on the use of marijuana, amphetamines, club drugs (such as Ecstasy), cocaine, hallucinogens, heroin, narcotic painkillers, sedatives/tranquilizers and solvents/inhalants. Drug use was assessed collectively, rather than broken down one by one. Drinking patterns weren't assessed at all.
Based on survey responses, the investigators determined that the general risk for having a lifelong drug use disorder was highest among whites, Native Americans, men, singles, people between 18 and 44, and those with lower incomes and educational backgrounds. The study also found that people with mental health illnesses, such as depression, bipolar disorder, PTSD, personality disorders, anxiety, panic and social disorders were more likely to have a lifelong drug use disorder.
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