January 14, 2010 |
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An annual average of 12.2 percent of persons aged 12 or older—an estimated 30.0 million persons—were living in poverty. Females comprised 58.4 percent of the persons living in poverty compared with 51.5 percent of the total household population (Table 1). In addition, persons living in poverty tended to be younger than those in the total population; persons aged 12 to 34 accounted for 55.0 percent of persons in poverty compared with 37.4 percent of the overall household population.
Sociodemographic Characteristic | Total Household Population (%) |
Persons Living in Poverty (%) |
---|---|---|
Total | 100.0% | 100.0% |
Aged 12 to 17 | 10.2% | 15.0% |
Aged 18 to 25 | 12.9% | 23.9% |
Aged 26 to 34 | 14.3% | 16.1% |
Aged 35 to 49 | 26.2% | 21.5% |
Aged 50 to 64 | 21.6% | 13.6% |
Aged 65 or Older | 14.7% | 9.9% |
Male | 48.5% | 41.6% |
Female | 51.5% | 58.4% |
White | 68.1% | 42.3% |
Black or African American | 11.8% | 23.8% |
American Indian or Alaska Native | 0.5% | 1.1% |
Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander | 0.3% | 0.5% |
Asian | 4.3% | 4.2% |
Two or More Races | 1.1% | 1.4% |
Hispanic or Latino | 13.8% | 26.7% |
Health Insurance Coverage | 85.5% | 69.4% |
No Health Insurance Coverage | 14.5% | 30.6% |
Source: 2006 to 2008 SAMHSA National Surveys on Drug Use and Health (NSDUHs). |
About two fifths (42.3 percent) of those living in poverty were white, 26.7 percent were Hispanic, and 23.8 percent were black. By comparison, 68.1 percent of the total U.S. household population were white, 13.8 percent were Hispanic, and 11.8 percent were black. Nearly one in three (30.6 percent) persons living in poverty were without health insurance coverage compared with about one in seven (14.5 percent) of the total household population.
Among individuals aged 12 or older living in poverty, 12.3 percent (3.7 million persons) were classified as being in need of substance use treatment in the past year. The need for substance use treatment varied by demographic characteristics. Males living in poverty were nearly twice as likely as their female counterparts to have been in need of treatment (17.1 vs. 8.9 percent) (Figure 1). Among persons living in poverty, those aged 18 to 25 had a higher rate of treatment need than those in any of the other age groups. Need for treatment also varied by race/ethnicity among those living in poverty, ranging from 21.6 percent among American Indians or Alaska Natives to 6.3 percent among Asians (Figure 2).
Gender and Age Group | Percent in Need of Treatment |
---|---|
Male | 17.1% |
Female | 8.9% |
Aged 12 to 17 | 7.4% |
Aged 18 to 25 | 20.3% |
Aged 26 to 34 | 13.4% |
Aged 35 to 49 | 14.5% |
Aged 50 to 64 | 7.1% |
Aged 65 or Older | 1.4% |
Source: 2006 to 2008 SAMHSA National Surveys on Drug Use and Health (NSDUHs). |
Race/Ethnicity | Percent in Need of Treatment |
---|---|
American Indian or Alaska Native | 21.6% |
White | 15.3% |
Two or More Races | 13.8% |
Black or African American | 11.2% |
Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander | 10.6% |
Hispanic or Latino | 9.2% |
Asian | 6.3% |
Source: 2006 to 2008 SAMHSA National Surveys on Drug Use and Health (NSDUHs). |
Among persons living in poverty, those with no health insurance coverage were more likely than those with coverage to have been in need of substance use treatment in the past year (14.9 vs. 11.2 percent). An estimated 1.4 million persons living in poverty and with no health insurance coverage were in need of treatment.
Of the persons living in poverty who were in need of substance use treatment in the past year, 17.9 percent (an estimated 663,000 persons) received treatment at a specialty facility during this time period. Nearly one third (30.8 percent) of persons aged 35 to 49 living in poverty and in need of treatment received it compared with one quarter of their counterparts aged 26 to 34 (23.1 percent) and less than one tenth of young adults aged 18 to 25 and adolescents aged 12 to 17 (8.7 and 9.3 percent, respectively) (Figure 3). There were no statistically significant differences in receipt of treatment by gender or health insurance coverage (data not shown).
Age Group* | Percent Who Received Treatment |
---|---|
Aged 12 to 17 | 9.3% |
Aged 18 to 25 | 8.7% |
Aged 26 to 34 | 23.1% |
Aged 35 to 49 | 30.8% |
* Data for other age groups are not shown due to low precision. Source: 2006 to 2008 SAMHSA National Surveys on Drug Use and Health (NSDUHs). |
Thirty million Americans aged 12 or older are living in poverty, and for some, their financial challenges are made even more difficult because of substance use problems. The data in this report indicate that there is a substantial unmet need for substance use treatment among individuals living in poverty, particularly among young adults and adolescents. Addressing the substance use treatment needs of individuals living in poverty may result in increases in economic sufficiency and employment, while decreasing health care costs and other adverse factors associated with substance use disorders (e.g., unintentional injuries, incarceration, and physical and mental health problems). Similarly, assessing needs for ancillary services, from basic subsistence needs to job hunting and placement, must be considered as essential components of the pathway to achieving recovery and sustaining resilience.
The National Survey on Drug Use and Health (NSDUH) is an annual survey sponsored by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA). The 2006 to 2008 data used in this report are based on information obtained from 201,445 persons aged 12 or older, including 34,292 persons who were living in poverty. The survey collects data by administering questionnaires to a representative sample of the population through face-to-face interviews at their place of residence. The NSDUH Report is prepared by the Office of Applied Studies (OAS), SAMHSA, and by RTI International in Research Triangle Park, North Carolina. (RTI International is a trade name of Research Triangle Institute.) Information on the most recent NSDUH is available in the following publication: Office of Applied Studies. (2009). Results from the 2008 National Survey on Drug Use and Health: National findings (DHHS Publication No. SMA 09-4434, NSDUH Series H-36). Rockville, MD: Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration. Also available online: http://oas.samhsa.gov. |
The NSDUH Report is published periodically by the Office of Applied Studies, Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA). All material appearing in this report is in the public domain and may be reproduced or copied without permission from SAMHSA. Additional copies of this report or other reports from the Office of Applied Studies are available online: http://oas.samhsa.gov. Citation of the source is appreciated. For questions about this report, please e-mail: shortreports@samhsa.hhs.gov.
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This page was last updated on September 29, 2009. |