Substance Abuse Statistics for Hispanic Americans

The fields of developmental psychology and epidemiology indicate that emerging adulthood (ages 18–25 years) is a period in which people tend to drink most heavily in comparison to adolescents and older adults (Sussman & Arnett, 2014; Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration [SAMHSA], 2018). For instance, in the United States (U.S.), emerging adults report the highest prevalence of all age groups in terms of current alcohol use (56.3%), binge drinking (36.9%), heavy drinking (9.6%), and alcohol use disorder (10.7%; SAMHSA, 2018). Compared to other racial/ethnic groups, Hispanic (inclusive of Latinos, Latinas, and Latinx) emerging adults had the second-highest prevalence of current alcohol use (50.1%), binge drinking (32.9%), and heavy drinking (8.0%), and the third-highest prevalence of alcohol use disorder (10.7%; SAMHSA, 2018).

Moderation Analyses

Since social work is a predominantly white profession, Latinx people seeking treatment for substance use are more than likely to encounter a white social worker who may not understand their unique needs. The United States Census Bureau estimates that 18.5% of the U.S. population is Hispanic or Latinx — more than 61 million people. Plus, the 2020 NSDUH reports that 18.4% of people with Hispanic or Latinx backgrounds were living with a mental health condition (other than SUD) in 2020.

What to Know About Substance Use and the Latinx Community

It’s also important to note that substance use varies across heritage groups and locations. While the barriers mentioned above may explain some of the disparity, 2007 research suggests a cultural mismatch between clinicians and clients may be at work as well. Some evidence indicates a clash in values, beliefs, and practices between Latinx cultural traditions and how treatment programs are structured.

Additionally, this study is limited to four major metropolitan cities in the United States and does not include rural Hispanics/Latinos. One of the strengths of the current study is the probability-based sampling which allows for the estimation of prevalence in the target population in the four communities (Bronx, Chicago, Miami, and San Diego). These four communities are diverse and provide adequate representation for comparing the different Hispanic/Latino heritage groups. Over half (58%) were women, 40% had greater than a high school education, 23% were U.S. born (including mainland and U.S. territories), 25% preferred English as their first language, 50% were working either full or part-time, and 49% were married or living with a partner. Almost 30% were former drinkers (33%women, 27%men), and 52% were current drinkers (41%women, 63%men).

Descriptive analyses

Finally, as with any cohort study, there is a possibility for selection bias from attrition. However, the RLIS has an excellent retention rate and selection bias due to loss to follow up is not likely to effect the sample. Graph of the interaction of family history of alcohol use and positive alcohol outcome expectancies. All other reported values (means and prevalence rates) were weighted to account for the disproportionate selection of the sample and to at least partially adjust for any bias effects due to differential nonresponse in the selected sample at the household and person levels. The adjusted weights were also trimmed to limit precision losses due to the variability of the adjusted weights, and calibrated to the 2010 U.S.

Common messaging includes the notion that reducing time with other people who use will reduce the likelihood of use. A recent Kaiser Family Foundation analysis found that 28.9 million people were uninsured in the United States in 2019 and that Hispanic people were disproportionately impacted. In fact, Hispanic individuals were found to be over 2.5 times more likely to be uninsured than their white counterparts — or 19.1% compared with 7.1%. The ability to access treatment can depend largely on where you live and how many programs, if any, are in your immediate area. Since accessing treatment for substance use intersects with issues of infrastructure and health equity, it would help if policymakers and communities began expanding coverage geographically. It’s important to emphasize the Latinx community comprises numerous diverse subgroups and is not a monolith.

1. According to a 2019 report of the Joint Economic Committee of the United States Congress, Hispanic workers earn 74% of what the typical white worker earns.
2. However, the RLIS has an excellent retention rate and selection bias due to loss to follow up is not likely to effect the sample.
3. These results are consistent with findings from a comprehensive review of 32 studies focused on acculturation and alcohol use among Latinos [15].
4. Some post-hoc analyses of our data indicate that there were no statistically significant differences by gender in relation to acculturation orientations or alcohol use severity which may lend some support to this potential explanation.
5. The adjusted weights were also trimmed to limit precision losses due to the variability of the adjusted weights, and calibrated to the 2010 U.S.

With regard to US immigration, there is also Americanism or the extent to which an individual is attached to the US. Though each domain can have an influence of substance use, the retention of Hispanic cultural practices is considered protective against substance use including alcohol use (Schwartz et al., 2011). However, the influence of these cultural factors on alcohol use among Latino immigrants with a family history of alcohol use is largely unknown. This study also aimed to (2) examine potential moderating factors of respective associations among acculturation orientations and bicultural self-efficacy with alcohol use severity.

The content is solely the responsibility of the authors and does not necessarily represent the official view of the National Institutes of Health. The authors would like to acknowledge Carlos Estrada and Irma Beatriz Vega de Luna for their work in recruiting participants. If you or someone you love is facing an SUD, consider reaching out to a trusted healthcare professional for an evaluation and to explore your treatment options. Bellevue Hospital in New York City, an addiction treatment clinic, provides holistic care by connecting clients to community organizations that assist with overall stability. “If you are the breadwinner in your family, [you may think to gas-x and alcohol interaction yourself] ‘I will sacrifice my addiction treatment to pay the bills at home,’” Vakharia says.

To our knowledge, the HCHS/SOL study is the largest contemporary study to examine alcohol use and contributing factors among maverick sober living diverse Hispanic/Latino heritage groups. Results from this study show that prevalence and patterns of alcohol use vary among Hispanics/Latinos of diverse heritage, as well as by sex. Given the growing numbers of Mexican background individuals in the US, more research is needed to further examine factors that may contribute to at-risk alcohol use among this group. Further, more research is needed to examine acculturation levels and potential mediators (e.g., acculturative stress) and at-risk drinking for Hispanic/Latina women. Overall, these findings underlie the importance of tailoring research and intervention programs to examine socio-economic and sex-specific factors contributing to alcohol use among Hispanics/Latinos.

Latino Americans include a large proportion of Hispanics of Mexican descent (63.3% of the Hispanic population). Puerto Ricans account for nearly 10% and the Salvadoran, Cuban, Dominican, Guatemalan, and Colombian communities each have populations over 1 million in the U.S. CETPA, a Georgia-based nonprofit that provides behavioral health services to the Latinx community, created a media campaign in alcohol intolerance after covid Spanish produced in partnership with local Spanish TV stations that educated the local community on opioid use disorder. Reducing food insecurity, securing adequate housing, and offering employment training may help improve treatment outcomes. “Familismo” is a term used in Latinx culture that underlines the importance of family, a concept that treatment interventions may benefit from adopting. “We know that lots of people live in rural and suburban communities across the country, where public transportation infrastructure is basically nonexistent.

Detox and rehab services have proven effective treatments for individuals who speak English and are acculturated to life in the U.S. Yet, Latino Americans are less likely than other groups to seek help for their addiction. Moreover, they are less likely to join support groups (such as Alcoholics Anonymous), despite the availability of Spanish-language groups. In a study of Latin Americans and alcohol, women who chose surveys in English over Spanish were twice as likely to drink. 51.1% of Puerto Rican women in the U.S. who drink participate in binge drinking, the highest among any Hispanic group by far.

Alcohol Use Severity among Hispanic Emerging Adults: Examining the Roles of Bicultural Self-efficacy and Acculturation

The overall treatment program for an alcohol use disorder as specified by the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) and the American Society of Addiction Medicine (ASAM) would not vary substantially. According to a joint effort produced by SAMHSA and the Centers for Substance Abuse Treatment, it should include some specific considerations. Compared to other Latino Americans, Mexican Americans and Central/South Americans are the most likely to be charged for drunk driving. Two-way interaction with study site moderating the association between U.S. orientation and alcohol use severity. Research from 2021 supports the idea that family-oriented treatment may help improve treatment outcomes, especially for young people with substance use.

Only 54.5% of Hispanic adults over the age of 18 had at least one drink in the past year, compared to 70.3% of non-Hispanic white adults. 67.7% have had at least one drink in their lifetime­–compared to 84.2%–and 31.8% have thus far completely abstained from drinking. However, studies also show that Hispanic adults who do drink, tend to drink more heavily than other ethnicities. Under a third of Cuban Americans drinkers, on the other hand, participate in binge drinking.