Published in:
01-10-2011
Help-Seeking Behaviors in a Community Sample of Young Adults with Substance Use Disorders
Authors:
Mathew D. Gayman, PhD, Gary S. Cuddeback, PhD, Joseph P. Morrissey, PhD
Published in:
The Journal of Behavioral Health Services & Research
|
Issue 4/2011
Login to get access
Abstract
Despite the high prevalence of substance use disorders (SUDs) in the U.S., many with a SUD go untreated and/or report lengthy delays to help-seeking initiation. From a public health standpoint, because SUDs often emerge in early adulthood, information on help-seeking behaviors among young adults is important. Using data from young adults ages 18–23 years with a history of a SUD (n = 672) in Miami-Dade County, Florida, this study estimates the prevalence of lifetime help-seeking initiation and examines factors related to help seeking and delays to help-seeking initiation. The majority (68%) of young adults with a history of a SUD reported never having sought help, and those who reported help seeking experienced relatively lengthy delays (1–7 years) to help-seeking initiation. These findings underscore the need for both timely substance abuse treatment and for accelerated research on successful outreach strategies for young adults with SUDs.