A study recently published in the Drug and Alcohol Dependence journal examined the association between family structure, including marital status and presence of children in the household, and opioid misuse. Researchers used data from the National Survey on Drug Use and Health (NSDUH) from 2002-2018 and found that married young adults have lower age-adjusted probabilities of prescription opioid misuse and heroin use, and that the presence of children in the house is also associated with lower probabilities of prescription opioid and heroin misuse. In addition, those with children in the household who have never been married also showed lower probabilities of prescription opioid and heroin misuse. Researchers concluded that increases in disconnected adults may result in continued increases in substance use disorders (SUD) and overdoses.
- Ann Tucker