Does Disability Differentiate Drug Abuse

Data for this study was obtained over nine years through the National Survey on Drug Use and Health.  A significant difference in the rate of substance abuse was found between individuals with disabilities and those without.  Individuals with disabilities had higher rates of substances than their able-bodied peer for every drug except alcohol. One of the largest differences in drug abuse was found between smokers.  The number of individuals with disabilities who smoked heavily increase two percent over the nine years; while the number of able bodied smokers decreased two percent.  The trend to abuse marijuana or oxycodone also varied more for those with disabilities, with a recent spike in the use of these two drugs.  With these few exceptions, the trends for substance use followed relatively the same trajectories, with those with disabilities having a higher abuse at start and finish. 


If individuals with disabilities are at an increased likelihood to abuse substances, than we must ensure that treatment centers are easily accessible and that staff are trained to work this population subset.  Additionally, the data indicate that cigarettes, analgesic, and psychotherapeutics are the drugs most likely to be abused by those with disabilities.  This may be in part due to the nature of living with a disability and people’s desire to escape the pain.  With this information we may able to better target at risk groups and help develop coping mechanisms other than self-medicating, which could reduce the number of people who begin to abuse these substances. 

One limitation of such a study is that the information is correlational.  In such designs, it is impossible tell which is the causal variable.  It could be that individuals who abuse substances are more likely to become disabled either through loss of brain function or traumatic accidents.  An additional limitation is that many of the individuals with a disability may have been prescribed drugs such oxycodone to manage pain associated with their condition.  Some of these individuals might have indicated an abuse even though the drug is being used solely as a pharmaceutical and is not actually being abused. 

Glazier, R. E. and Kling, R. N. (2013).  "Recent trends in substance abuse among persons with disabilities compared to that of persons without disabilities." Disability and Health Journal. 6.  107-115. 

 

Abstract