Healthcare Delivery
Initiation/Engagement of Alcohol & Other Drug Abuse or Dependence Treatment (IET-AD)
The following information represents the percentage of private insurance beneficiaries 18 years and older with a new episode of alcohol or other drug (AOD) abuse or dependence who received:
- Initiation of AOD treatment. Percentage of beneficiaries who initiated treatment through an inpatient AOD admission, outpatient visit, intensive outpatient encounter or partial hospitalization, telehealth, or medication treatment within 14 days of the diagnosis.
- Engagement of AOD Treatment. Percentage of beneficiaries who initiated treatment and who had two or more additional AOD services or medication treatment within 34 days of the initiation visit.
Results varied with regard to age for those who sought treatment for alcohol and other drug abuse. In the 13-17 age group, the percentage of individuals who initiated AOD treatment increased in from 29.8% in 2015 to 31.8% in 2016; then decreased to 27.3% in 2017. The 18-34 age group also showed a steady decrease in treatment initiation: 40.9% in 2015 to 39.0% in 2016 to 35.3% in 2017. In the 35-44 age group, there was an increase from 39.7% in 2015 to 43.8% in 2016, followed by a decrease to 41.1% in 2017. The 45-54 age group had the highest percentage of treatment initiation at 44.2% in 2015 and decreased to 43.1% in 2016, and to 41.8% in 2017. The 55-64 age group increased from 38.7% in 2015 to 41.0% in 2016, to 41.2% in 2017.
The pattern for engagement of AOD treatment was similar to initiation. In the 13-17 age group, the percentage of individuals receiving engagement of AOD treatment increased in from 16.0% in 2015 to 19.7% in 2016; then decreased to 12.1% in 2017. The 18-34 age group had the highest percentage of treatment engagement, but also showed a steady decrease in treatment engagement: 20.8% in 2015 to 20.3% in 2016 to 19.2% in 2017. In the 35-44 age group, there was an increase from 16.6% in 2015 to 20.7% in 2016, followed by a decrease to 19.3% in 2017. The 45-54 age group treatment engagement was 15.8% in 2015 and decreased to 13.8% in 2016, then increased to 15.6% in 2017. The 55-64 age group increased from 9.3% in 2015 to 12.2% in 2016, then decreased to 11.5% in 2017.