Drug and alcohol abuse rates across economic and ethnic groups

Drug and Alcohol Abuse

Over the last several decades, the issues of drug and alcohol abuse have been increasingly brought to the forefront. This is because there has been an effort on the federal and state levels to increase awareness. As the problem has continued to become worse, despite the tremendous amounts of resources that are spent on these programs. Evidence of this can be seen by looking no further than the 23.5 million people ages 12 and older who are in need of some kind of treatment for drug or alcohol abuse (according to the National Survey on Drug Use and Health). This is problematic, as these kinds of issues can have a negative impact on society. ("Drug Facts")

Selecting a topic and defining the problem

The social problem that we will be studying is the impact of drug and alcohol abuse on communities. During this process, there will be an emphasis on: the economic background, ethnicity and other factors that will impact users. To help focus the study, there will be an emphasis on two key research questions to include:

What are the differences in rates between economic, gender, age and ethnic groups?

Are there specific factors that are influencing these differences?

This will help actuaries to understand these varying rates and what are the main causes impacting specific segments of the population.

Summarize related research (literature review)

The research is indicating that economic, cultural and gender related factors are some of the primary reasons why there are difference in drug abuse rates. According to the United Nations International Drug Control Program (2003) there are different cultural and regional factors that will have an impact on dependency rates. This is because these views will have an effect on social perceptions for those who are using these substances. (United Nations International Drug Control Program)

For example, in some countries the smoking of marijuana or the consumption of alcohol is seen as a social norm. Whereas, other regions of the world will have contrasting views by showing how these activities are considered to be immoral. This will have an impact if a particular ethnic group becomes involved in utilizing these kinds of substances. The information from this source is illustrating how particular ethnic and gender groups are more likely to begin abusing drugs and alcohol. This is based upon their traditional views of consuming these kinds of products. (United Nations International Drug Control Program)

Moreover, Nutt (2006) found that substance abuse is often tied to other factors that will work in conjunction with ethnicity or gender. The most notable include: parental drug / alcohol related problems, disruptions to the family, social deprivations, the lack of economic opportunities and physical / sexual abuse. According to Nutt, these factors will make someone predisposed to the influences of select substances in their lives. (Nutt)

The reason why is because this is often utilized as a way to help them escape from their challenges (at least temporarily). Over the course of time, this will have an impact upon which segments of the population are most likely to become involved in these kinds of activities. This is illustrating how substance abuse is tied to other factors that are based upon their current lifestyle, economic, and social choices. (Nutt)

Furthermore, Castillo (2008) found that there are other influences that will impact additional segments of society (most notably teenagers and young adults). This is because these individuals are often affected by what their friends may think of them consuming particular substances (in order to be seen as hip). At the same time, this demographic will often turn to drug and alcohol as a way to deal with peer pressure and other forms of stress. This is showing how peer pressure and increased amounts of anxiety has an impact on someone who begins abusing various substances. The combination of these factors is demonstrating that there are numerous reasons why someone will become involved in consuming drugs and alcohol. Over the course of time, large disparities between these groups and other segments in society emerge based upon these factors. (Castillo)

Describe the data collection method (Research Method)

The basic approach that will be used for collecting and analyzing the data is evaluation research. This is when there is a focus on examining a number of different sources in order to more effectively understand the trends. Anything that does not fit with these patterns will be eliminated as a statistical anomaly. The data collection should help to improve the validity of the study and the accuracy of the research by corroborating these facts with each other. When this happens, actuaries can provide more specific reasons that will support or refute the hypothesis that was presented ("Qualitative Research," 2012).

Findings

The current status of drug and alcohol abuse in the United States is alarming, especially with respect to young people. According to Gold (2006), a National Center on Addiction and Substance Abuse survey found that teenagers in the U.S. had witnessed drug deals at their schools more frequently than they did in their own neighborhoods, and more than a third (39%) reported that at least one student in their schools had died during the previous year from alcohol or drug abuse. Moreover, more than three-quarters of the high school respondents (76%) reported that drugs were routinely used and dealt in their schools (Gold 107). The problem of alcohol and drug abuse, though, is certainly not restricted to young people but extends to older adults as well. For instance, Powell (2011) reports that, "A substantial and growing percentage of older adults misuse alcohol, prescription drugs, or other substances. The number of older adults in need of substance abuse treatment is expected to more than double from 1.7 million in 2000 and 2001 to 4.4 million in 2020" (108).

Although there are some encouraging signs that fewer young people are abusing alcohol and drugs and in recent years, the fact remains large numbers of American youths are still engaging in these self-destructive behaviors and are at risk of the adverse healthcare consequences that are associated with drug and alcohol abuse. In this regard, Gold emphasizes that, "The latest data show a 17% decrease in student drug abuse from 2001 to 2004. That still means, however, that millions of students abuse drugs and alcohol in the United States" (107). Indeed, a study of young people and risky behaviors conducted by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services in 2003 determined that 6.4 million students consumed alcohol and 3.7 million used marijuana in the month prior to the survey (Gold 107). Likewise, Reid and Toncar (2007) report that alcohol abuse is a leading psychiatric diagnosis in the United States today.

The human and economic costs that are associated with drug and alcohol abuse are enormous. The results of the most recent study by the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) found that the costs of drug abuse alone are more than $600 billion a year in the United States, a total that includes healthcare, lost productivity, and crimes (Alcohol and Drug Abuse Statistics 2012). The statistics from 2009 show that more than 2.1 million emergency room visits were related to alcohol and drug abuse, broken down as follows:

1. Non-medical use of pharmaceutical drugs (27%);

2. Illicit drug use (21%);

3. Combination of alcohol with drugs (14%);

4. Eighty percent of patients were 21 or older;

5. Over 420,000 of the visits were related to cocaine use;

6. The most common drug combination was alcohol and central nervous system depressants