262150 Provider Perspectives Regarding Barriers to Substance Treatment Entry among Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders

Tuesday, October 30, 2012 : 4:30 PM - 4:50 PM

Kim Hoffman, PhD , Department of Public Health and Preventive Medicine, Oregon Health and Science University, Portland, OR
Carmen L. Masson, PhD , Department of Psychiatry, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA
Michael Shopshire, PHD , San Francisco General Hospital, Department of Psychiatry, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA
Soma Sen, PhD , San Jose State University, School of Social Work, San Jose, CA
Nicholas Hengl, BA , Department of Psychiatry, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco General Hospital, San Francisco, CA
Martin Y. Iguchi, PhD , Drug Policy Research Center, RAND, Santa Monica, CA
     
Background. Information about substance use disorders among AAPIs is needed to identify possible health disparities within AAPI groups and to better address the treatment needs of this growing community. This study examined motivations and barriers to substance abuse treatment entry and treatment continuation among Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) substance users from the perspective of treatment staff. The sponsor of the study was the NIDA Center for the Clinical Trials Network.

Methods. Treatment staff (n = 48) were recruited from substance abuse treatment programs in California and Hawaii. Semi-structured interviews and interviewer administered questionnaires were conducted with treatment staff. Interview topics included perceptions of the role of the community, substance abuse treatment system, family, culture, and language in influencing help seeking behaviors. All interviews were audio-taped, transcribed, and analyzed using content analysis.

Results: Findings revealed barriers and facilitators at the system, provider and patient levels. Programmatic level barriers included “lumping” non homogenous groups (ethnic, level of acculturation, language) into one system, regardless of distinctions between the groups. Provider factors that facilitated engagement in treatment included having staff members that shared the language and cultural background of clients. At the patient level, program staff reported that family members may hinder the treatment process; clients were viewed as enmeshed with their families in a culture of silence that did not support healthy recovery.

Discussion: These findings may assist practitioners to design programs that consider varying influences of culture on substance abuse treatment effectiveness for Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders.

Learning Areas:
Diversity and culture
Program planning
Public health or related organizational policy, standards, or other guidelines
Public health or related research
Social and behavioral sciences

Learning Objectives:
Identify and describe factors that promote or discourage engagement in substance abuse treatment for Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders.

Keywords: Substance Abuse Treatment, Ethnic Minorities

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

Qualified on the content I am responsible for because: Regarding the proposed presentation, I designed the research study, supervised the data collection in the San Francisco Bay Area sites, analyzed the data presented and wrote the actual presentation that will be presented at the conference. I have been a substance abuse researcher affiliated with the University of California, San Francisco for over 18 years, and my research on anger management treatment with clients with substance use disorders is nationally recognized.
Any relevant financial relationships? No

I agree to comply with the American Public Health Association Conflict of Interest and Commercial Support Guidelines, and to disclose to the participants any off-label or experimental uses of a commercial product or service discussed in my presentation.

Back to: 4382.0: New Research in Addiction Treatment