State population indices predict Asian American and Pacific Islander successful substance use treatment completion: An exploratory observational study

Abstract

Cultural capital is a known factor supporting success in substance use disorder (SUD) treatment. We investigated Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) State population metrics in relation to SUD treatment completion for US clients from 2006–2017 (N = 5,404,374). Metrics that may signify greater available cultural capital were State AAPI Percentage, State AAPI Percent Change, and State AAPI Population. AAPI Percentage, AAPI Percent Change were positively associated, while AAPI Population was negatively associated with treatment completion (p < 0.001). Findings suggest treatment agencies in areas with low AAPI densities may improve outcomes by supporting AAPI community and cultural social networks.

Keywords:

• Culturally sensitive care
• population health
• racial/ethnic minority

Acknowledgements

This work was supported in through a research fellowship grant (P19110) and grant-in-aid (19F19110) awarded to Ethan Sahker and Toshi A. Furukawa from the Japan Society for the Promotion of Science (JSPS).

Disclosure statement

Toshi A. Furukawa reports personal fees from Mitsubishi-Tanabe, MSD and Shionogi, and a grant from Mitsubishi-Tanabe, outside the submitted work. Toshi A. Furukawa has a patent 2018-177688 pending. All other authors report no conflicting interests. All authors have approved the final article.