Barriers to Healthcare and Social Service Utilization Among Rural Older Adults Who Use Drugs

Beth Prusaczyk; Sandra Tilmon; Joshua Landman; Drake Seibert; David C. Colston; Ryan Westergaard; Hannah Cooper; Judith Feinberg; Peter D. Friedmann; Vivian F. Go; Dalia Khoury; Todd Korthius; Sarah Mixson; Alexandria Moellner; Kerry Nolte; Gordon Smith; April Young; Mai T. Pho; Wiley Jenkins

doi:10.1177/07334648241258018

Barriers to Healthcare and Social Service Utilization Among Rural Older Adults Who Use Drugs

Beth Prusaczyk, Sandra Tilmon, Joshua Landman, Drake Seibert, David C. Colston, Ryan Westergaard, Hannah Cooper, Judith Feinberg, Peter D. Friedmann, Vivian F. Go, Dalia Khoury, Todd Korthius, Sarah Mixson, Alexandria Moellner, Kerry Nolte, Gordon Smith, April Young, Mai T. Pho, Wiley Jenkins

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

1 Scopus citations

Abstract

The objective of this study was to understand barriers to healthcare and social service utilization among older adults residing in rural areas who use drugs. A cross-sectional survey of persons who use opioids or inject drugs in rural counties with high overdose rates across ten states was conducted. For this analysis, participants were restricted to only the 375 individuals aged 50 and older. They were asked about barriers to utilizing healthcare and social services. Multivariate analyses were conducted. The most common barriers were a lack of transportation and a fear of stigma. The average number of barriers was 2.53. Those who were either uninsured or homeless endorsed 37% more barriers. For every five-year increase in age, the number of barriers reduced by 15%. Efforts to reduce these barriers may include expanding eligibility for transportation and housing services and leveraging trusted community members to broker linkages to providers to overcome stigma.

Original language	English
Journal	Journal of Applied Gerontology
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1177/07334648241258018
State	Accepted/In press - 2024

Bibliographical note

Publisher Copyright:
© The Author(s) 2024.

Keywords

barriers
healthcare
rural
social services
substance use

ASJC Scopus subject areas

Gerontology
Geriatrics and Gerontology

Access to Document

10.1177/07334648241258018

Cite this

Prusaczyk, B., Tilmon, S., Landman, J., Seibert, D., Colston, D. C., Westergaard, R., Cooper, H., Feinberg, J., Friedmann, P. D., Go, V. F., Khoury, D., Korthius, T., Mixson, S., Moellner, A., Nolte, K., Smith, G., Young, A., Pho, M. T., & Jenkins, W. (Accepted/In press). Barriers to Healthcare and Social Service Utilization Among Rural Older Adults Who Use Drugs. Journal of Applied Gerontology. https://doi.org/10.1177/07334648241258018

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abstract = "The objective of this study was to understand barriers to healthcare and social service utilization among older adults residing in rural areas who use drugs. A cross-sectional survey of persons who use opioids or inject drugs in rural counties with high overdose rates across ten states was conducted. For this analysis, participants were restricted to only the 375 individuals aged 50 and older. They were asked about barriers to utilizing healthcare and social services. Multivariate analyses were conducted. The most common barriers were a lack of transportation and a fear of stigma. The average number of barriers was 2.53. Those who were either uninsured or homeless endorsed 37% more barriers. For every five-year increase in age, the number of barriers reduced by 15%. Efforts to reduce these barriers may include expanding eligibility for transportation and housing services and leveraging trusted community members to broker linkages to providers to overcome stigma.",

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author = "Beth Prusaczyk and Sandra Tilmon and Joshua Landman and Drake Seibert and Colston, {David C.} and Ryan Westergaard and Hannah Cooper and Judith Feinberg and Friedmann, {Peter D.} and Go, {Vivian F.} and Dalia Khoury and Todd Korthius and Sarah Mixson and Alexandria Moellner and Kerry Nolte and Gordon Smith and April Young and Pho, {Mai T.} and Wiley Jenkins",

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Prusaczyk, B, Tilmon, S, Landman, J, Seibert, D, Colston, DC, Westergaard, R, Cooper, H, Feinberg, J, Friedmann, PD, Go, VF, Khoury, D, Korthius, T, Mixson, S, Moellner, A, Nolte, K, Smith, G, Young, A, Pho, MT & Jenkins, W 2024, 'Barriers to Healthcare and Social Service Utilization Among Rural Older Adults Who Use Drugs', Journal of Applied Gerontology. https://doi.org/10.1177/07334648241258018

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AU - Prusaczyk, Beth

AU - Tilmon, Sandra

AU - Landman, Joshua

AU - Seibert, Drake

AU - Colston, David C.

AU - Westergaard, Ryan

AU - Cooper, Hannah

AU - Feinberg, Judith

AU - Friedmann, Peter D.

AU - Go, Vivian F.

AU - Khoury, Dalia

AU - Korthius, Todd

AU - Mixson, Sarah

AU - Moellner, Alexandria

AU - Nolte, Kerry

AU - Smith, Gordon

AU - Young, April

AU - Pho, Mai T.

AU - Jenkins, Wiley

PY - 2024

Y1 - 2024

N2 - The objective of this study was to understand barriers to healthcare and social service utilization among older adults residing in rural areas who use drugs. A cross-sectional survey of persons who use opioids or inject drugs in rural counties with high overdose rates across ten states was conducted. For this analysis, participants were restricted to only the 375 individuals aged 50 and older. They were asked about barriers to utilizing healthcare and social services. Multivariate analyses were conducted. The most common barriers were a lack of transportation and a fear of stigma. The average number of barriers was 2.53. Those who were either uninsured or homeless endorsed 37% more barriers. For every five-year increase in age, the number of barriers reduced by 15%. Efforts to reduce these barriers may include expanding eligibility for transportation and housing services and leveraging trusted community members to broker linkages to providers to overcome stigma.

AB - The objective of this study was to understand barriers to healthcare and social service utilization among older adults residing in rural areas who use drugs. A cross-sectional survey of persons who use opioids or inject drugs in rural counties with high overdose rates across ten states was conducted. For this analysis, participants were restricted to only the 375 individuals aged 50 and older. They were asked about barriers to utilizing healthcare and social services. Multivariate analyses were conducted. The most common barriers were a lack of transportation and a fear of stigma. The average number of barriers was 2.53. Those who were either uninsured or homeless endorsed 37% more barriers. For every five-year increase in age, the number of barriers reduced by 15%. Efforts to reduce these barriers may include expanding eligibility for transportation and housing services and leveraging trusted community members to broker linkages to providers to overcome stigma.

KW - barriers

KW - healthcare

KW - rural

KW - social services

KW - substance use

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Barriers to Healthcare and Social Service Utilization Among Rural Older Adults Who Use Drugs

Abstract

Bibliographical note

Keywords

ASJC Scopus subject areas

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