September is National Recovery Month and we want to recognize the work people have done and continue to do to recover from substance use disorders. According to the National Survey on Drug Use and Health, 19.7 million adults struggled with a substance use disorder in 2017. Substance use, treatment, and recovery are impacted by many factors and there are different programs working to address the complicated reality of treatment and recovery. Collecting and analyzing data related to these complexities helps health professionals to develop and spread specific ways of intervening and supporting people who have more than one medical need. An example is the interaction of drug and alcohol use with HIV on possible transmission risk factors. Another overlap is that the National Institute on Drug Abuse estimates that 24% of people living with HIV also need substance abuse treatment. Having data on the need for overlapping services helps to create a net of care for the people impacted by complex needs.
