APA Virtual Program to Explore Impact of Opioids on Communities of Color
Abstract
Studies show that African Americans are being hit particularly hard by the current opioid crisis. An upcoming webinar by APA’s Division of Diversity and Health Equity will explore how psychiatrists can help to mitigate the devastating effects of this crisis.
The opioid epidemic has impacted communities across the United States, transcending boundaries of race, age, and socioeconomic status. The rise of overdose deaths from prescription opioids in the 1990s and heroin in the 2010s has now given way to a synthetic opioid epidemic.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), overdoses involving opioids killed more than 80,000 people in 2021. Synthetic opioids, particularly illicitly manufactured fentanyl, were responsible for 88% of these deaths.
Overdose deaths involving synthetic opioids have impacted communities of color and urban populations, particularly African Americans, at alarming rates. Experts believe that multiple factors, including easy access to the less expensive drugs, are likely fueling the synthetic opioid epidemic hitting Black and urban communities.
Psychiatrists at the forefront of research on opioids will examine these topics and more on Thursday, December 7, at 7 p.m. ET as part of the next “Looking Beyond Series” webinar. Topics for discussion will include the complex intersection of race, socioeconomic status, and systemic disparities in health care that are contributing to the disproportionate burden of the opioid epidemic on the African American community.
Role of Social Determinants of Mental Health
Disparities in mental health care result from a combination of factors rooted in social determinants of mental health. These factors may include structural and systemic biases; unequal distribution of public resources; and the impact of violence, stigma, and racism.
Historically excluded and marginalized populations, such as those from communities of color, are more likely to experience poverty, unemployment, and limited access to quality health care. People with substance use disorders have the additional hurdles of stigma associated with their disorder as well as a fear of legal consequences. Yet another barrier to care involves finding health care professionals who can provide affordable and culturally competent care to address the unique needs and challenges that patients of color face.
In a 2015 paper, psychiatrists Michael Compton, M.D., M.P.H., and Ruth Shim, M.D., M.P.H., described social determinants of mental health as being “underpinned by unequal distribution of opportunity and, more deeply, by public policies (e.g., legislation that may not specifically pertain to health but ultimately has far-reaching effects on health) and social norms (e.g., cultural opinions and biases that set the stage for poorer health among disadvantaged groups).”
Compton and Shim went on to describe the relationship between income inequality and substance use disorders and substance-related outcomes; for example, they noted, data show the risk of death from overdose is significantly higher in neighborhoods with greater income inequality.
“The social determinants of mental health represent modifiable factors that, if addressed, could lead to improvements in the mental health of our society and could even contribute to the prevention of mental illnesses and substance use disorders.”
What Can Psychiatrists Do?
Opioid-related substance use and overdose deaths among African Americans is a critical issue that warrants the attention and intervention of psychiatrists and mental health professionals.
Even as overall opioid overdose death rates have leveled off, multiple studies suggest that opioid overdose deaths are continuing to rise for African Americans. For instance, a 2022 study conducted by researchers at Howard University in Washington, D.C., with the National Institutes of Health found that the opioid overdose death rates among African Americans rose four-to-six-fold compared with opioid overdose deaths in White residents in areas identified as “hotspots” for opioid overdose deaths. (These areas included Maryland, Illinois, Michigan, Pennsylvania, and the District of Columbia.)
To address this crisis, it is essential to adopt a comprehensive approach that acknowledges the intersectionality of race, socioeconomic status, and mental health. Offering culturally sensitive care, increasing access to addiction treatment, and reducing stigma are crucial steps toward mitigating the devastating impact of the opioid epidemic on the mental health of African Americans. ■
Find more information and register for the webinar “The Unequal Impact of the Opioid Epidemic in the African American Community: Insights for Psychiatrists” at psychiatry.org/LookingBeyond.
