Addressing Substance Use and Misuse in East Texas: Stakeholder-Driven Needs and Priorities

Abstract

Background—This project sought to assess needs, perceived challenges, and priorities regarding substance use disorder (SUD) in East Texas and develop a community-driven research agenda to address those challenges. Methods—Data were gathered through nine focus-group discussions (FGDs) with stakeholders: people living with SUD, families, medical providers, counselors, representatives of community-based organizations, and law enforcement officers. We asked participants how substance use manifests in their communities, which challenges they confronted in coping with substance use and misuse, and in which order their needs should be prioritized. Findings were reported at community forums to confirm the list of challenges and prioritize needs. Results—Five themes emerged from the FGDs indicating major challenges: (a) access to SUD treatment and recovery resources, (b) mental health and resiliency, (c) education, training, and professional development to facilitate treatments, (d) care and service coordination, and (e) community/social support for people living with SUD and their families. Conclusions—Significant resources such as financing, collaboration across silos, and community education are needed to effectively manage this public health problem. Our findings can inform research and outreach to help East Texans develop interventions, research programs, and educational opportunities for clinicians, community-based organizations, law enforcement officers, and counselors to build capacity for SUD prevention, treatment, and recovery.

Cannabis Use and Its Impact on Mental Health in Youth in Australia and the United States: A Scoping Review

“…The established relationship between cannabis use and a spectrum of mental health outcomes presents a discourse with significant implications for diverse stakeholders and particular relevance for medical practitioners, policymakers, and mental health professionals, including developmental psychologists [ 47 , 48 , 49 ]. Integrating this research into practice could offer valuable insights for medical practitioners, prompting us to consider cannabis use as a pertinent factor when addressing mental health issues in young people [ 50 , 51 ].…”

“…Found that 35% (75) of the participants tested positive for cannabis, and 21% (48) were experiencing depression, with an odds ratio (OR = 2.1; 95% CI 1.08-3.93). African Americans had higher odds of testing positive for marijuana compared to whites (OR = 4.6; 95% CI 2.52-8.68).…”

The Use of Appreciative Inquiries In Rural Communities

“…Rural communities in the United States are typically characterized as underserved, impoverished, with limited resources and an inability to address their residents' needs. Authors such as Butler et al [1], Crumb et al [2], Rimmler et al [3] and Tiruneh et al [4] emphasize rural challenges including mental health problems, inequality related to employment, illicit drug use, substance use, and limited resources and services. However, many authors talk about the strengths, resilience, and social capital in rural communities.…”