Substance use treatment services for older adults in five states in the Southern United States: a state-by-state comparison of available treatment services.

Objectives

Substance use disorders (SUD) among older adults have become a serious public health concern. The purpose of this study was to assess which states in the Southern U.S. are more responsive to SUD treatment needs of older adults.

Methods

This study is a secondary data analysis of the N-SSATS-2019 dataset.

Results

There were 1,215 substance treatment facilities in the five states. Kentucky had the highest number of substance use treatment facilities (n = 449, 37%), followed by Georgia (357, 29%), Alabama (153, 13%), Louisiana (146, 12%) and then Mississippi (110, 9%). Out of the 1,215 facilities, only 20% (n = 244) indicated that they had programs specifically tailored for older adults. Kentucky had the largest number of facilities per 1 million older adults while Mississippi had the highest number of facilities per 1 million older adults offering detoxification services. Alabama had the lowest number of services per 1 million adults in all categories examined.

Conclusion

Across the U.S., most adults with SUD do not have access to substance use treatment; in the southeastern region of the country, higher rates of poverty, rural geography and stigma, and lack of treatment availability may further complicate individuals' ability to access substance use-related medical care.