A new federal report found that 48.5 million Americans aged 12 and up had a substance use disorder (SUD) in 2023. Only 4.5% of this group received treatment for their condition.
The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) identified this discrepancy in its newly released 2023 National Survey on Drug Use and Health.
A lack of understanding about the importance of SUD treatment may contribute to the number of people who do not receive SUD treatment: almost 95% of adults with an SUD who did not seek treatment did not believe that they needed treatment.
Because SAMHSA significantly revised the questions used in the survey, the agency cannot compare results from this year’s report to those of previous years.
Stigma can be a major barrier to patients seeking SUD care. It can prevent people from beginning or maintaining treatment with life-saving medications like buprenorphine and methadone.
Adults who felt they needed treatment but did not seek it offered three main reasons for their choice. Almost three-quarters felt they should be able to handle their alcohol or drug use on their own, 65% believed they were not ready to start treatment and 60% felt they were not ready to stop or cut back on their alcohol or drug consumption.
Certain treatment modalities were more popular than others among those who sought treatment.
Outpatient services were the most commonly utilized treatment, with 9.8 million people 12 or older receiving these services in 2023. More than 80% of these people received outpatient treatment in a setting other than a general medical clinic or doctor’s office.
Investors and payers have increasingly favored outpatient services for their accessibility and affordability. Meanwhile, inpatient and residential care modalities have experienced challenges building sufficient patient bases and pushback from payers.
The survey also found that four million people received treatment via telehealth, 3.5 million received inpatient treatment, 2.3 million received MAT for opioid use and 1.1 million received MAT for alcohol use.
People with SUDs also received other services beyond traditional treatment options.
Almost 6 million people participated in a support group, 2.3 million received services from a peer support specialist or recovery coach and 1.2 million people received detoxification or withdrawal support services. Additionally, 1.9 million people visited an emergency room due to their SUD.
Some of these services have become increasingly common in the SUD industry. Peer support specialists have proven to be cost-effective, and companies offering peer support may have a leg up when creating value-based arrangements with payers.
Companies specializing in peer support have also raised significant funding dollars. Virtual peer support startup Marigold Health raised $11 million in Series A funding in June, for example.
