Examining the Relationship between Opioid Use Disorder and Suicide Attempts Among Latines Seeking Treatment for Co-Occurring Disorders

Purpose: Suicide attempts and opioid use disorder (OUD) are serious public health concerns for the Latine community. Although substance use disorder (SUD) significantly increases the risk factor for suicide attempts, other contributing factors include psychiatric disorders (i.e., major depression) and social drivers of health (SDOH) factors such as unemployment, housing insecurity, and low educational attainment, are also associated with suicide attempts (Modeste-James et al., 2024; Yuodelis-Flores & Ries, 2015). Notably, Latine individuals needing addiction treatment are often criminalized, resulting in incarceration and further marginalization. Despite this, research often neglects to examine how these SDOHs affect Latine individuals’ vulnerability to suicide. There remains a gap in knowledge related to the relationship between OUD, SDOH, and suicide attempts among Latine individuals entering treatment for co-occurring disorders.

Method: Bivariate statistics and bi-nominal logistic regression were used to analyze assessment data on (n=376) Latine adults with co-occurring disorders receiving treatment between April 2020 and December 2024 at a bilingual/bicultural integrated behavioral health facility serving the Latine community in Massachusetts to examine the relationship between opioid use disorder and a history of suicide attempts. We controlled for SDOH, mental health, and SUD factors associated with suicide attempts at the bivariate level.

Results: 16% of the sample reported suicide attempts. Bivariate statistics demonstrated that Puerto Rican ethnicity, homelessness, depression, and opioid use disorder were significantly associated with having ever attempted suicide. The logistic regression identified that Latines with OUD had 1.82 times higher odds of a suicide attempt than those without an OUD. Similarly, Latines with depression were 3.5 times more likely to have attempted suicide than those without depression. Finally, Latine who experienced homelessness were 2.8 times more likely to have attempted suicide than those who were housed.

Conclusion and implications: The study’s findings suggest that there is an urgent need for social work research, policy, and practice to confront the effects of opioid use disorder and suicide attempts among Latine individuals. Furthermore, it is crucial that social work researchers not only recognize but respond to the systemic factors such as unemployment, housing instability, and acculturative stress (Modeste-James et al., 2024; Perez-Rodriguez et al., 2014) that place Latines at risk for suicide attempts. As social workers promote transformative change in our society, we must advocate for access to housing and other basic needs. This advocacy is especially important for underserved communities, including Latine populations, who are disproportionately affected by racism and xenophobia, which can exacerbate mental health symptoms and increase the risk of suicide. Understanding the impacts of the intersection of depression, OUD, and homelessness is essential, as it highlights the urgent need for integrated mental health and SUD treatment, particularly when viewed through the lens of transformative change. To effectively lead transformative change efforts, social work research must drive policies and practices that respond to the multifaceted challenges of OUD and suicide attempts among Latines by focusing on their needs while providing culturally responsive care.