Faculty Sponsor
Ryan Carpenter
Final Abstract for URS Program
People who use substances vary in terms of the problems they experience and the degree to which they feel change is needed. Among those who are interested in making changes, many have qualms and questions about doing so, despite the potential positive benefits of reducing use. Young adults who use substances are especially unlikely to receive substance-focused treatment. It is unclear to what extent this is due to limited access to treatment, a lack of desire to change, beliefs that existing treatments are unlikely to be beneficial, or a combination of factors. This study will examine the associations of perceived readiness to change, access to treatment, and attitudes toward medication assisted treatment (MAT) for opioid use disorder in an internet sample of young adults (18-24) who regularly use alcohol and opioids and are not currently in treatment. Results will shed light on why young adults engaging in regular substance use rarely receive substance use treatment, potentially informing future efforts to address this critical issue.
Document Type
Poster
Publication Date
2021