Substance abuse treatment seeking of older adults

Substance abuse and dependence are major problems for all ages, but they are increasingly observed in adults 50 and older. Many adults in this group do not seek treatment for their substance related disorder because they do not feel the need. There is a gap in the literature as the research is not clear on how these perceptions relate to other conditions. The purpose of this quantitative study was to examine the relationship between feeling the need for treatment, and physical and mental health conditions based on age. This study is based on the 6 constructs in the health belief model: perceived susceptibility, perceived severity, perceived benefits, perceived barriers, cues to action, and self-efficacy. The research questions in this study looked to see if the conditions predicted feeling a need for treatment and pursuing treatment in older adults, defined as 50 years and older. This secondary analysis utilized the 2011 National Survey on Drug Use and Health (NSDUH) dataset for 7,630 respondents with reported substance abuse or dependence. A logistic regression analysis determined if the conditions were predictors of treatment seeking behavior utilizing appropriate variables in the dataset. Results indicated that the only predictors of wanting treatment are reporting depression, anxiety, or STDs and in the age group of 49 and younger. Future research should concentrate on understanding why the older adult is less likely to seek treatment. Social change implications indicate finding ways to encourage adults in this group of the benefits of treatment, and the education of misusing alcohol, drugs, and other medications. The sober older adult could be a beneficial asset to younger people to share experiences and educate them on the dangers of substance related disorders.