Social Determinants of Health and Access to Care

Understanding the critical role of social determinants of health (SDOH) in relation to access to substance use disorder treatment is paramount. Factors like socioeconomic status, education, and community support shape an individual's ability to seek and maintain treatment while influencing their vulnerability to overdose. Disparities in SDOH can heighten overdose risks for those with substance use disorders due to limited access to comprehensive care and support networks. Recognizing and addressing these SDOH-related disparities is essential for creating equitable and effective interventions.

To enhance our understanding of this crisis in Alabama, we have used data from three (3) key sources examine how SDOH, access to treatment facilities, and substance use treatment behaviors vary by zip code:

• The United States Census Bureau's American Community Survey (ACS) 5-Year Estimate for 2017-2021. The ACS is an ongoing, comprehensive survey that annually samples a representative cross-section of the US population, covering various topics related to social, economic, demographic, and housing characteristics.

• The Alabama Department of Mental Health (ADMH) which regulates Alabama’s public substance use treatment delivery system.

• The Center for Disease Control and Prevention's (CDC) National Syndromic Surveillance Program (NSSP). NSSP is a collaborative effort involving the CDC, federal partners, state and local health departments, and academic and private sector partners to collect electronic patient encounter data from various healthcare settings, including emergency departments.

From these sources, percentiles and/or median travel times have been calculated for zip codes in Alabama.