The opioid use disorder (OUD) epidemic has significantly affected American Indian communities in Minnesota. A public health framework called the Cascade of Care helps measure OUD risk, treatment engagement, retention, and recovery outcomes. However, no studies have measured this framework within tribal communities.
This study used data from the Minnesota Drug and Alcohol Abuse Normative Evaluation System (DAANES) to quantify the Cascade of Care for an American Indian tribal nation in Minnesota and the state as a whole. In 2018, 269 individuals in the tribal community received treatment for opioid-related issues. Of those, an estimated 65-99% started medications for OUD, and an estimated 13-41% stayed in treatment for at least 180 days. The existing state-level data can provide insight into OUD care stages for American Indian communities, but more data sources are needed to understand population-level OUD risk, recovery, and factors influencing treatment and recovery.
