Brain Injury and Substance Use in Young Adults: The Need for Integrating Care.

ABSTRACT

OBJECTIVES: This study examined sociodemographic disparities in traumatic brain injury (TBI), and the association between TBI and substance misuse among young adults in Rhode Island. METHODS: Among this sample of N=1,022 from the 2022 Rhode Island Young Adult Survey, multivariable logistic regressions were used to examine both study objectives. RESULTS: Black, Asian, and Hispanic young adults had 77% (95%CI 26%, 93%), 79% (95%CI 32%, 94%), and 58% (95%CI 31%, 75%) lower odds of brain injury, respectively, compared to White, non-Hispanic young adults. Those having experienced brain injury were more likely to engage in hazardous alcohol use (p = 0.003), hazardous marijuana use (p < 0.001), and illicit drug use (p = 0.003), but not OTC or prescription drug misuse. CONCLUSIONS: There is a pressing need for integrated, large-scale, multidisciplinary programs with a well-trained workforce to address TBI and substance misuse in various medical settings for behavioral health and emergency care.