Illicit Drug Use - Women (18-49) in Wyoming

Wyoming

The use of illicit drugs, including prescription drugs without a doctor's guidance, can be dangerous and have lasting consequences. The negative effects of drug misuse vary by drug and include heart attack, stroke, psychosis and death. Substance abuse can also lead to addiction, which often requires medical or therapeutic management. Drug use during pregnancy may increase the risk of negative birth outcomes such as preterm labor, miscarriage and stillbirth.

Mental health and substance use disorders are frequently related, though one can rarely be said to cause the other. Twenty percent of individuals with a severe mental health disorder will develop a substance use problem during their lifetime. The health consequences of using illicit drugs are costly to individuals and society. In 2007, the cost of illicit drug use to the U.S. was estimated at $193 billion. Emergency room visits for drug misuse among those ages 18-34 have increased since 2008-2009 from 45.4 visits per 10,000 people to 76.0 visits per 10,000 in 2016-2017.

According to the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), the prevalence of illicit drug use is higher among:

• Women ages 18-25 compared with other age groups.
• American Indian/Alaska Native and multiracial people compared with Black, white, Hispanic and Asian people. 
• Men compared with women; the death rate associated with illicit drug use is higher among men, but women are more likely to relapse after treatment. 
• Additionally, research has found that women who have experienced intimate partner violence have a higher risk of substance use.

Illicit drug use can be prevented and treated. The National Institute on Drug Abuse has screening tools and prevention strategies that health care professionals can use for substance abuse prevention. In 2018, the National Institute of Health received funding from Congress for the HEAL (Helping to End Addiction Long-term) Initiative, which supports the development of non-addictive pain management methods, drug abuse prevention strategies and treatments for opioid misuse and addiction. 

When prevention is no longer an option, there are evidence-based treatment programs. The Treatment Locator by SAMHSA can help individuals find state-licensed providers that specialize in substance use disorders. SAMHSA also collects resources on evidence-based practices for treatment facilities and medical practitioners providing substance abuse treatment and recovery.

Healthy People 2030 objectives related to illicit drug use include:

• Reducing the proportion of adults who used drugs in the past month.
• Reducing the proportion of people who misused prescription drugs in the past year.
• Reducing the proportion of people who used heroin in the past year.
• Reducing the proportion of women who use illicit opioids during pregnancy. 
• Increasing abstinence from illicit drugs among pregnant women.

National Drug Intelligence Center. “National Drug Threat Assessment 2011.” Department of Justice, August 2011. https://www.justice.gov/archive/ndic/pubs44/44849/44849p.pdf.

Priester, Mary Ann, Teri Browne, Aidyn Iachini, Stephanie Clone, Dana DeHart, and Kristen D. Seay. “Treatment Access Barriers and Disparities Among Individuals with Co-Occurring Mental Health and Substance Use Disorders: An Integrative Literature Review.” Journal of Substance Abuse Treatment 61 (February 1, 2016): 47–59. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jsat.2015.09.006.

Rui, Pinyao. “QuickStats: Number of Emergency Department Visits for Substance Abuse or Dependence per 10,000 Persons Aged ≥18 Years, by Age Group — United States, 2008–2009 and 2016–2017.” MMWR. Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report 68, no. 50 (December 20, 2019): 1171. https://doi.org/10.15585/mmwr.mm6850a7.