Headlines: Report Shows Opioid Misuse Increased Among Older Adults




SAMHSA Headlines

July 27, 2017
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Data   |    Resources   |    Events


Data

New Report Shows That Opioid Misuse Increased Among Older Adults

A new spotlight report indicates that opioid misuse among adults aged 50 or older was higher in 2014 than in 2002. The misuse of opioids includes either the use of heroin or the nonmedical use of prescription pain relievers. According to SAMHSA's 2014 National Survey on Drug Use and Health, about 9.5 million adults aged 18 or older misused opioids in the past year. Opioid misuse among older adults increased from 1.1 percent in 2002 to 2.0 percent in 2014.

SAMHSA Releases Report on Adolescent Inhalant Use

According to a new report based on data collected in 2015, approximately 684,000 adolescents aged 12 to 17 used inhalants in the past year. The types of inhalants adolescents used to get high varied. Felt-tip pens/markers or magic markers were the most commonly identified types of inhalants adolescents used to get high in 2015. The report shows more than half of adolescents who used inhalants in the past year (59.0 percent) had used on 1 to 11 days in the past year; about 1 in 5 (19.3 percent) had used on 12 to 49 days.

Resources

New Tip Sheet for Survivors Coping With Grief After a Disaster or Traumatic Event

This tip sheet contains information about grief, the grieving process, and what happens when the process is interrupted and complicated or traumatic grief occurs. It also offers tips and resources for coping with both types of grief.

New Tip Sheet for Health Care Practitioners and Responders To Help Survivors Cope With Grief After a Disaster or Traumatic Event

This tip sheet provides health care practitioners and disaster responders with guidelines for communicating with survivors experiencing grief. Background information about the grieving process and what happens when the grief process is interrupted and complicated or traumatic grief occurs is included, as well as helpful resources for additional assistance.

Events

August 16, 2017

SAMHSA's 2017 Voice Awards

Register now to attend the 2017 Voice Awards event in person at Royce Hall at the University of California, Los Angeles on Wednesday, August 16, or register to watch the live event webcast. Help honor people in recovery and their family members who are community champions seeking to improve the lives of people with mental illnesses and addictions. The Voice Awards also recognize television and film productions that educate the public about behavioral health and showcase that recovery is real and possible.