Substance Use Disorders Among Utah Women

Substance use disorders, including the opioid epidemic, have reached crisis levels throughout the United States, and Utah is no exception. In 2017, more than 72,000 Americans died from drug overdoses, a number that has doubled in the past decade. According to the Centers for Disease Control, 635 Utahns died from a drug overdose in 2016; that is 22.4 per 100,00 population, a rate that was above the national average of 19.8 and the 19th highest in the nation for that year. Although in Utah and the U.S. as a whole, men are more likely to die from a drug overdose, this issue affects a significant number of women. From 2013–2015, 776 Utah women died from a drug overdose. Women are more likely to be prescribed opioids and to develop an addiction more easily when compared to men.4 As substance use disorders have serious negative effects on individuals, families, and communities, understanding and working to reduce this epidemic is imperative. 

Facts About Substance Use Disorders

According to the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, substance use disorders are present when “recurrent use of alcohol and/or drugs causes clinically and functionally significant impairment, such as health problems, disability, and failure to meet major responsibilities at work, school, or home.” It should be noted that while the term “substance abuse” is commonly used, experts in the field of addiction recommend the term “substance use disorders” (SUD) to emphasize that these are chronic medical conditions that affect the brain. Researchers have shown that this terminology also reduces stigma and promotes medical treatment. Although SUD can involve legal substances such as tobacco and alcohol, in this snapshot we will focus primarily on the use of illegal substances and the misuse of prescription medications. 

Substance Use Disorders, Pregnancy, and Trauma

Substance use disorders create special challenges during pregnancy. A 2014 study of prescription opioid use during pregnancy among women receiving Medicaid showed Utah had the highest rate in the nation for pregnant women receiving an opioid prescription, at 41.6%. This was almost twice the national rate of 22.8%. The authors of this study stated that the national opioid crisis extends to pregnant women as well and called for additional review of the safety issues concerning opioid prescriptions for pregnant women. A 2012 Utah study showed that 6.8% of newborns tested positive for one or more substances (opioids were the most common, present in 4.7% of newborns), and the number of infants diagnosed with neonatal abstinence syndrome (NAS) in Utah increased dramatically (by 275%) from 2005–2014. The misuse of controlled substances during pregnancy can have various negative effects on the child, including birth defects, preterm delivery, NAS, and stillbirth, yet pregnant women may be very concerned about reporting substance use. 

Efforts to Combat Substance Use Disorders

In recent years, general awareness of substance use disorders has grown significantly, as numerous public and private organizations seek to address the opioid epidemic and other related concerns. Under the Department of Health, the Utah Coalition for Opioid Overdose Prevention has laid out an extensive plan with strategic priorities and specific, targeted goals. This includes “Stop the Opidemic,” a public awareness campaign that employs billboards, commercials, and other efforts aimed at preventing SUD and educating Utahns on how to recognize and support loved ones experiencing addiction. Other Coalition goals focus on examining the ways opioids are prescribed in the state. Eighty percent of heroin users in Utah started with prescription opioids, and, in 2017, Utah ranked second in the nation for states with the highest high-dosage prescription rates. However, even as steps are taken to reduce prescription rates, experts recognize that a comprehensive approach is critical in efforts to curb opioid addiction.

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The following post is adapted from the Research Snapshot Substance Use Disorders Among Utah Women, published November 1, 2018.