This study examined racial differences in the impact of trauma on opioid misuse among justice-involved adolescents. The study found: 1) Certain racial and ethnic minority groups are more likely to experience adverse childhood experiences that can lead to racial trauma. 2) As a result of experiencing higher levels of racial trauma, certain racial and ethnic minority groups are more likely to misuse opioids. 3) When accounting for race, those who experienced family violence had the highest odds of opioid misuse, with racial and ethnic minorities experiencing a 70-74% increase in opioid use per adverse experience.

1. Racial Differences in the
impact of trauma on opioid
misuse among justice-
involved adolescents
April 2022
Ohemaa Peprah-Asante, Gina Micciche,
Micah E. Johnson

2. Table of contents
01
02
03
Overview
Methods
Results
04 Conclusions and Discussions

3. Overview
01

4. Trauma can be described as the lasting effects of a dangerous or frightening
incident that can result in harm or death (American Psychiatric Association
2013)
Trauma
Introduction
Race and trauma have a controversial relationship:
Those of certain racial and ethnic groups are more likely to face adverse
experiences that extend the effects of trauma
Racial Trauma
Defining racial differences observed in various ACE impacts as racial trauma
is operationalized to start this investigation.
For the sake of this study
Racial trauma and its relations to PTSD has a direct impact on the likelihood
of a POC being subject to future substance abuse.
Racial Trauma and Opioid Misuse

5. The aim of the study is to test whether levels of trauma
have differing levels of affects in different races,
resulting in subsequent levels of Opioid Misuse.
The Current Study

6. Methods
02

7. The Florida Department of Juvenile Justice (FLDJJ) collects
self-report data on justice involved youth, by using the
PACT intake assessment.
The Data

8. The population of this study
79,960 Justice Involved
Adolescents
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30,591 of the JIA were White
36,443 were Black
12,536 were Latinx
The rest (390) identified as an
"other" race
The sample of Justice Involved
represented minors from the FLDJJ
who reached the age of 18 by 2016.
There were reported 79,960 justice
involved adolescents.

9. OM is the term used to define the use of illicit opioids in
the past 30 days.
"0" = no opioid use
"1" = opioid use
Measures of this study
A term that can be defined by the level of impact that
ACEs can have on an individual.
ACE Factors measured and considered: sexual abuse,
family violence, and household substance abuse.
Opioid Misuse Racial Trauma

10. •
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A stratified logistic regression was prepared using
STATA/BE 17.0; utilizing demographic data.
Odds ratios of opioid misuse were recorded
For each ACE factor experienced, the odds ratio of
opioid misuse INCREASED
Analysis Approach
STATA/BE 17.0

11. Results
03

12. Univariate and Bivariate
OF THE 79,960 SAMPLE:
2,137 reported opioid misuse.
77,823 did not.
9,953 reported levels of past or current sexual abuse.
61,474 reported levels of past or current family violence.
20,126 reported levels of past or current household substance
misuse.
Univariate
OF THE 2,137 SAMPLE OF THOSE WHO REPORTED OPIOID USE:
1,723 of the population were White.
177 were Black.
218 were Latinx.
589 reported sexual abuse.
1,988 reported family violence.
1,073 reported household substance misuse.
Bivariate

13. Multivariate The multivariate logistic regression revealing the likelihood of opioid misuse with its
association of the ACE factors of sexual abuse, household substance abuse, and
family violence, WITHOUT taking into account the impact of race.

14. Multivariate
The multivariate logistic regression
revealing the likelihood of opioid
misuse with its association of the ACE
factors of sexual abuse, household
substance abuse, and family violence,
while taking into account the impact of
race.

15. Conclusions and
Discussions
04

16. Discussion
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Certain racial and ethnic minority groups are more likely to face
ACEs
As a result, are more likely to turn to opioid misuse.
RACE had the largest impact on opioid use rates.

17. •
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The BIGGEST LIMITATION: there is no true definition of Racial Trauma
Instead, was operationalized by the ACE Scores of the chosen
impact factors in the context of race
The term Opioid was also used as a general term.

JIAs show only a general picture of racial trauma
Theres a limit to expand the results to a general population
Having datasets with a greater sample of the population can help to
increase generalization.
Limitations and Implications
•
•
By recognizing the effects that racial trauma has on deviancy, we can
further investigate the correlation between racial trauma and
discrimination → future substance abuse

By acknowledging the disproportionate ratio of opioid use based on
racial trauma, then initiatives can be made to combat racial trauma and
its effects.

18. The aim of the study is to test whether levels of trauma
have differing levels of affects in different races,
resulting in subsequent levels of Opioid Misuse.
The Current Study

19. Conclusion
Racial Trauma
Opioid Misuse
Trauma
Trauma + Opioids
Racial trauma +
opioids
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To fully address racial trauma and its effect on opioid use, initiatives need to be put in place to
intend to resolved the opioid crisis.
Initiatives need to be created that take into specific account the unique needs of certain racial
groups who are more susceptible to racial injustice.
•
•
Different racial and ethnic minorities are subject to predisposed levels of racial trauma
As a result, are more likely to turn to opioids as stress relievers.
Regardless of accounting for racial groups, JIAs who encountered family violence had the highest number of
odds for turning to opioid use, with a 24.4% and 32.4% increase of odds against household substance use
and sexual abuse, respectively. When accounting for racial groups, however, family violence also accounted
for the highest numb er of opioid use odds, with those of color having a 70-74% increase of opioid use per
recognition of adverse experience.

20. Acknowledgements
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Special Thanks to:
Dr Micah Johnson
Dr Chantae Still
Zahra
James

21. Thank you
SMART LAB