Date of Conferral

5-8-2024

Date of Award

May 2024

Degree

Doctor of Public Health (DrPH)

School

Public Health

Advisor

Twanda Wadlington

Abstract

The purpose of this quantitative cross-year comparison of two cross-sectional studies was to examine whether there is an impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on opioid misusers seeking mental health and substance abuse treatment, taking into consideration the social, ecological, and economic factors of age, gender, poverty status, and county of residence metropolitan status. The theoretical foundations of this study are the social-ecological framework in terms of the geographic and economic impacts, and the structural and social determinants of health framework to examine the influences of economic and community on individual behaviors, to answer the research questions while controlling for the above factors in adults of was there a measurable impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on opioid misusers seeking mental health treatment, substance abuse treatment, or both mental health and substance abuse treatment in the year 2021 compared to 2019. Chi-squared tests and logistic regressions were conducted. Results indicated that in 2021 compared to 2019, younger adults, women, those living in smaller metropolitan areas, and those using illicit drugs, opioids, and more days of alcohol uses were more likely to predict mental health and substance abuse treatment, indicating a possible COVID-19 effect. The potential for social change includes mitigating opioid misuse modifying existing programs to allow a more focused approach to opioid use reduction programs based on age, gender, population density and poverty status that can help reduce the incidence of abuse in vulnerable populations.

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