New research is the first to use an intersectional approach to examine disparities in the completion of alcohol treatment, finds striking gender and race-based inequities Emeryville, CA (February 1, 2024) Completion rates for alcohol treatment are significantly lower for racially and ethnically minoritized women compared to White men, according to a new study led by scientists at the Alcohol Research Group's (ARG) National Alcohol Research Center, a program of the Public Health Institute, in … [Read more...]
Recent Findings
Black, Hispanic/Latinx, and Younger Adults are Less Likely to Attend AA
AA attendance lower among African American, Hispanic and young populations By Amy Norton Alcoholics Anonymous has long been a cornerstone of treating alcohol use disorders in the United States. But even today, Americans are not accessing it equally, according to a new study in the Journal of Studies on Alcohol and Drugs. Alcoholics Anonymous, or AA, got its start nearly 90 years ago and is famous for spurring the "12-step" approach to recovery -- which includes acknowledging powerlessness … [Read more...]
New Study Reveals Disparities in At-Risk Drinking Among People with Diabetes, Cancer, or a Heart Condition
September 19, 2023 --New research published in The Journal of Racial and Ethnic Health Disparities, found that older non-Hispanic white adults with diabetes or a heart condition were less likely to engage in at-risk drinking than their counterparts without any of four major health conditions, including diabetes, cancer, hypertension, and heart conditions. However, among older Black, Hispanic/Latinx, and Asian adults, at-risk drinking rates were similar between individuals living with and … [Read more...]
Defining recovery — as people in recovery see it
US study asks almost 10,000 people in recovery from substance use how they define recovery and identifies shared elements that may help support an addiction-free life Emeryville, CA (September 18, 2023) A new study found that when asking people in recovery from a substance use disorder (SUD) how they define recovery, over 90% agreed that recovery is comprised of four key elements: A process of growth and development; Being honest with myself; Taking responsibility for the things I … [Read more...]
New Study Shows Expansion of Medicaid Increases Alcohol Screenings and Highlights Need for Policies, Programs that Improves Patient Screenings
A new study published in Alcohol: Clinical and Experimental Research, found that people living in U.S. states with expanded Medicaid access are more likely to receive alcohol screening during primary care checkups than people living in states that did not expand Medicaid access. The study also revealed the need for improvements in alcohol screenings for patients who do receive Medicaid – for example, comprehensive, evidence-based screenings or brief counseling. Led by Aryn Phillips, PhD, an … [Read more...]
New study uncovers racial and ethnic disparities in co-use of alcohol and other drugs among adults with a chronic condition
US national study finds that among Black, Hispanic/Latinx and Asian adults, alcohol and other drug co-use is linked to a greater likelihood of risky drinking Racial and ethnic minority adults with a chronic condition who co-use alcohol and other drugs have disproportionately greater odds of drinking than their White counterparts, according to a new study from the Alcohol Research Group (ARG), a program of the Public Health Institute. Published in Alcohol and Alcoholism, the study examined … [Read more...]
Childhood adversity before age 5 associated with greater cannabis use in early adolescence
New longitudinal study examines how early childhood adversity can increase risk of adolescent substance use A new study published in the journal Drug and Alcohol Dependence found pathways linking early childhood adversity (ECA) before the age of five and alcohol and cannabis use in adolescence. ECA was associated with both greater behavioral issues and lower academic performance in childhood, which predicted increased substance use in adolescence and, in turn, lower high school completion by … [Read more...]
Availability of alcohol to-go drinks and home delivery soared during the first year of the pandemic
Press Release: May 11, 2023 During the first year of the pandemic, the number of people who live in a state that allowed bars and/or restaurants to deliver alcohol rose by 284%. This increase was more dramatic for to-go sales, climbing by 627%, according to a new study from researchers at the Alcohol Research Group, a program of the Public Health Institute, and RTI International. Researchers combined state policy data with survey data on alcohol purchases during the pandemic. This enabled … [Read more...]
COVID-19 study finds striking inequities in access to health care during the pandemic
US national study reveals disparities in general and behavioral health care receipt, suggests telehealth is a vital bridge to care for traditionally underserved groups during the pandemic A new study published today in Preventive Medicine found that, during the first year of the pandemic, Hispanic/Latinx individuals and lower-income individuals were less likely to receive needed health care when compared to White individuals and people with higher incomes. Led by researchers at the Alcohol … [Read more...]
Effects of Medicaid expansion on alcohol and opioid treatment admissions in racial and ethnic groups
Recognizing that excessive drinking is a leading cause of preventable death in the US and that US opioid mortality rates have risen dramatically in recent decades, the US Affordable Care Act and Medicaid expansion sought to increase Americans’ health insurance coverage and access to substance use treatment services. Whether or not these landmark policies benefitted diverse population subgroups is an important public health question. A study, led by Senior Scientist Nina Mulia, examined the … [Read more...]
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