Christopher P Salas-Wright1, Sehun Oh2, Michael G Vaughn3, Jordana Muroff4, Maryann Amodeo4, Jorge Delva4. 1. School of Social Work, Boston University, 264 Bay State Rd., Boston, MA 02215, USA. Electronic address: cpsw@bu.edu. 2. Steve Hick's School of Social Work, The University of Texas at Austin, 1925 San Jacinto Blvd., Austin, TX, 78712, USA. 3. School of Social Work, College for Public Health and Social Justice, Saint Louis University, 1 N. Grand Blvd., St. Louis, MO 63103, USA. 4. School of Social Work, Boston University, 264 Bay State Rd., Boston, MA 02215, USA.
Abstract
BACKGROUND: We are at a unique moment in United States (US) history as heroin overdose rates are higher than at any time in recent memory. Based on prior research and the developmental risks faced by young adults (ages 18-25), we examine the trends and correlates of perceived access to heroin among this group over a 15-year period. METHODS: We analyzed national trend data from the National Survey on Drug Use and Health (2002-2016) on young adults' (N = 247,679; ages 18-25) perceived access to heroin. We conducted logistic regression analyses with survey year specified as an independent variable and heroin access specified as the dependent variable while controlling for sociodemographic factors. RESULTS: A majority of respondents reported that it would be difficult or impossible to obtain heroin, if desired. Young adult reports that it would be "probably impossible" to access heroin increased significantly from 31% in 2002 to 41% in 2016. The upward trend in the perceived lack of access was most robust among African Americans and Hispanics as well as those reporting no past-year substance use or drug/criminal justice system involvement. CONCLUSIONS: In the midst of a very serious opioid epidemic, the present study found that most young adults in the US consider that it would be "probably impossible" to obtain heroin. This trend was observed across young adulthood and across gender, racial/ethnic, and family income differences. However, we found that these trends are largely driven by those at relatively low risk of drug misuse and deviant behaviors generally.
BACKGROUND: We are at a unique moment in United States (US) history as heroinoverdose rates are higher than at any time in recent memory. Based on prior research and the developmental risks faced by young adults (ages 18-25), we examine the trends and correlates of perceived access to heroin among this group over a 15-year period. METHODS: We analyzed national trend data from the National Survey on Drug Use and Health (2002-2016) on young adults' (N = 247,679; ages 18-25) perceived access to heroin. We conducted logistic regression analyses with survey year specified as an independent variable and heroin access specified as the dependent variable while controlling for sociodemographic factors. RESULTS: A majority of respondents reported that it would be difficult or impossible to obtain heroin, if desired. Young adult reports that it would be "probably impossible" to access heroin increased significantly from 31% in 2002 to 41% in 2016. The upward trend in the perceived lack of access was most robust among African Americans and Hispanics as well as those reporting no past-year substance use or drug/criminal justice system involvement. CONCLUSIONS: In the midst of a very serious opioid epidemic, the present study found that most young adults in the US consider that it would be "probably impossible" to obtain heroin. This trend was observed across young adulthood and across gender, racial/ethnic, and family income differences. However, we found that these trends are largely driven by those at relatively low risk of drug misuse and deviant behaviors generally.
Authors: Christopher P Salas-Wright; Michael G Vaughn; Brian E Perron; Jennifer M Reingle Gonzalez; Trenette Clark Goings Journal: Drug Alcohol Depend Date: 2016-10-11 Impact factor: 4.492
Authors: Christopher P Salas-Wright; Michael G Vaughn; Lenise A Cummings-Vaughn; Katherine J Holzer; Erik J Nelson; Millan AbiNader; Sehun Oh Journal: Drug Alcohol Depend Date: 2016-12-14 Impact factor: 4.492
Authors: M D Resnick; P S Bearman; R W Blum; K E Bauman; K M Harris; J Jones; J Tabor; T Beuhring; R E Sieving; M Shew; M Ireland; L H Bearinger; J R Udry Journal: JAMA Date: 1997-09-10 Impact factor: 56.272
Authors: Michael G Vaughn; Erik J Nelson; Sehun Oh; Christopher P Salas-Wright; Matt DeLisi; Katie J Holzer Journal: Subst Use Misuse Date: 2018-01-09 Impact factor: 2.164
Authors: Christopher P Salas-Wright; Sehun Oh; Trenette Clark Goings; Michael G Vaughn Journal: J Stud Alcohol Drugs Date: 2017-09 Impact factor: 2.582
Authors: Katherine M Keyes; John E Schulenberg; Patrick M O'Malley; Lloyd D Johnston; Jerald G Bachman; Guohua Li; Deborah Hasin Journal: Addiction Date: 2011-07-27 Impact factor: 6.526
Authors: Christopher P Salas-Wright; Michael G Vaughn; Jelena Todic; David Córdova; Brian E Perron Journal: Am J Drug Alcohol Abuse Date: 2015 Impact factor: 3.829
Authors: Bridget F Grant; Tulshi D Saha; W June Ruan; Risë B Goldstein; S Patricia Chou; Jeesun Jung; Haitao Zhang; Sharon M Smith; Roger P Pickering; Boji Huang; Deborah S Hasin Journal: JAMA Psychiatry Date: 2016-01 Impact factor: 21.596
Authors: Christopher M Jones; Joseph Logan; R Matthew Gladden; Michele K Bohm Journal: MMWR Morb Mortal Wkly Rep Date: 2015-07-10 Impact factor: 17.586