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Motivations for Misusing Opioids Among African Americans
Khary K Rigg1, Ethan S Kusiak1, Lindi K Rigg2
1Department of Mental Health Law & Policy, University of South Florida, Tampa, FL, USA.
Substance Use & Addiction Journal
|January 23, 2024
Summary
Most African Americans misuse opioids to self-treat medical symptoms like pain and anxiety, not just for recreation. This highlights the need for trauma-informed care and pain management interventions for this population.
Area of Science:
- Public Health
- Health Disparities
- Substance Use Research
Background:
- Opioid misuse motives are diverse but understudied in African Americans.
- Existing research often lacks racial diversity or stratified analysis.
- Understanding specific motivations is crucial due to rising misuse rates in this demographic.
Purpose of the Study:
- To identify and explain common motives for opioid misuse among African Americans.
- To provide qualitative context for prevalent motivations.
- To address gaps in research on racial disparities in opioid misuse.
Main Methods:
- Utilized data from the Florida Minority Health Survey (August 2021-February 2022).
- Employed a mixed-methods approach: online surveys (n=303) and in-depth qualitative interviews (n=30).
- Focused on African American participants in Southwest Florida.
Main Results:
- A majority (66.1%) misused opioids to self-treat perceived medical symptoms.
- Common self-treatment reasons included physical pain, anxiety/trauma, withdrawals, and insomnia.
- A smaller proportion (33.9%) misused opioids for recreation or sensation seeking.
Conclusions:
- Findings underscore the need for trauma-informed interventions and effective pain management for African Americans.
- This study adds qualitative depth to quantitative research on opioid misuse motivations.
- Capturing the lived experiences of African Americans who misuse opioids is vital for targeted interventions.
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