Racial and Ethnic Disparities in Substance Use Treatment Episode Initiation and Engagement for Different Substances

• In Event: Substance Use Treatment Approaches and Policies

Abstract

This study investigates racial and ethnic differences in substance use treatment episode initiation and engagement and explores how racial and ethnic differences vary across different substances of abuse in a sample of 5,443 individuals from the 2012 SAMHSA-CSAT data set. Logistic regression models are employed to test the association of race and ethnicity with the rate of treatment episode initiation and engagement for different substances of use while controlling for demographic and socioeconomic factors. This study tests the hypothesis that Whites (n = 2407) are more likely than Blacks (n = 1046) and Hispanics (n = 1308) to initiate and engage in substance use treatment and these disparities vary among users of different substances. Preliminary results indicate Hispanics are more likely than Whites and Blacks to initiate substance use treatment. Policy implications for substance use treatment and the criminal justice system and directions for future research are discussed.

Authors

• Lincoln B. Sloas, Florida Atlantic University

• Michael S. Caudy, University of Texas at San Antonio

• Faye S. Taxman, George Mason University