Clinical implications of drug abuse epidemiology.
Research on the epidemiology of illicit drug use disorders provides continued critical insights into the distribution and determinants of drug use and drug use disorders in the United States. This research serves as a foundation for understanding the etiology of these disorders, helping to disentangle the complex interrelationship of developmental, genetic, and environmental risk and protective factors. Building on an understanding of this research in substance abuse epidemiology, it is important for clinicians to understand the unique trends in drug use in the overall communities that they serve and the unique risk factors for given individuals. The generally high prevalence of substance use disorders, along with their high comorbidity with other psychiatric disorders and with the HIV epidemic, make prevention, evaluation, and referral for treatment for drug abuse an important part of routine clinical practice in a range of clinical settings, including primary care, psychiatric, and emergency department settings. Ongoing efforts to ensure insurance coverage parity for the treatment of mental health and substance use disorders offer the promise of continued improvements in the integration and availability of such services in the broader US health care system.
Division of Epidemiology, Services, and Prevention Research, National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA), Bethesda, MD 20892-9589, USA. schuldenj@nida.nih.gov
Jeffrey D
JD
Schulden
Marsha F
MF
Lopez
Wilson M
WM
Compton
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D002648:Child; D062787:Drug Overdose; D005260:Female; D020022:Genetic Predisposition to Disease / Q000453:epidemiology; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000453:epidemiology*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D001523:Mental Disorders / Q000453:epidemiology*; D055553:Prescription Drugs / Q000009:adverse effects; D015995:Prevalence; D012017:Referral and Consultation; D012651:Self Medication / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D012931:Social Environment; D019966:Substance-Related Disorders / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000235:genetics / Q000517:prevention & control; D014481:United States / Q000453:epidemiology; D055815:Young Adult
D055553:Prescription Drugs