National Institute on Drug Abuse – 2017
This website includes a blog that highlights important work being done at the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) and other news related to the science of drug abuse and addiction. In this blog, the impact of stress and environmental and social factors on the use of opioids is discussed. The high rate of the opioid abuse in some of the poorest regions of the country, people on Medicaid, and other people with low income is considered, and reasons for the vulnerability of low-income people to opioid addiction are considered. It notes people on Medicaid are more likely to be prescribed opioids, are prescribed opioids at higher doses and for longer durations, and are less likely to have access to evidence-based addiction treatment. Research findings on the impact of family and community relationships and unenriched environments on drug abuse are presented, as well as the success of prevention efforts targeting some of the environmental determinants of substance use.