While there are highly effective treatments for substance use disorders (SUD), such as medications and behavioral therapies, significant barriers prevent many from accessing these life-saving treatments and can influence engagement and retention.
In this Ask the Expert interview, Dr. Timothy Hunt from Columbia University discusses the importance of addressing the social determinants of health (SDOH), which is critical in removing barriers and meeting the needs of people with substance use disorders (SUDs). These determinants include socioeconomic status, education, housing, neighborhood conditions, employment, social support networks, and access to healthcare. Addressing these broader determinants is crucial for creating a more equitable treatment landscape.
“Because there is treatment, it does not mean that people will be engaged or that they will be successfully retained,” shares Dr. Hunt. “Housing, homelessness impact the way that people are engaged in care. Employment opportunities impact retention in care as well. Educational opportunities and income stability, of course, impact whether one feels they can stay in care, will engage in care, or be motivated to be in care.”
Dr. Timothy Hunt is the Associate Director of the Social Intervention Group and Columbia’s Center for Healing from Opioid and Other Substance Use Disorders (CHOSEN) and Co-I of the NIH HEALing Communities Study (HCS).