¿Ves lo Que Veo? Experiences of Substance Use Disorder Treatment and Recovery for Latinos in a Local Community

Current rates of alcohol and substance misuse among Latinos are comparable to or surpass other U.S. ethnic groups, yet Latinos are less likely to complete treatment services. The reasons are not well understood. This study explored the barriers and facilitators to treatment and recovery among Latinos with multiple marginalized identities.

Common Ground Health's Heroin and Opioid Work Group in Rochester, NY, used a community-based participatory research approach to develop a brief survey. It was administered to a convenience sample of adults in a predominantly Puerto Rican low-income neighborhood.

All participants (n = 69) reported current substance use, with an average duration of 18 years. Most had accessed at least one type of treatment or recovery service in the past year, with Medication Assisted Treatment and detox being the most utilized services. There were no statistically significant differences in types of healthcare services accessed or perceived helpfulness between Spanish-preferring and English/bilingual patients. There was a high prevalence of homelessness and unstable housing.

Our study highlights the importance of exploring the role of multiple identities. We did not find any language-based differences in access or helpfulness, contrary to existing research. However, participants experiencing homelessness reported lower helpfulness and more barriers, especially with short-term in-patient care. Further research is needed to understand how, and which types of housing services are needed, especially for those experiencing and or facing homelessness.