Document Type
Research Report
Publication Date
11-2024
Abstract
The Mauricio Gastón Institute is a part of the Collaborative of Asian American, Native American, and Latino and African American Institutes (CANALA), linking institutes at the University of Massachusetts Boston that are dedicated to serving communities of color.1 In collaboration with CANALA, the Gastón Institute took part in a project that aims to help the Massachusetts Bureau of Substance Addiction Services (BSAS) better understand how Latino, Black, and Asian American communities in Massachusetts perceive and experience the opioid crisis. The Gastón Institute’s study focused on the Latino community and aimed to answer the following questions: 1. To what extent, and in what manner, do Latino residents in Massachusetts perceive and experience the impact of substance use in their communities? 2. To what extent are Latino residents knowledgeable about resources that are currently available to address the consequences of substance use? 3. What do Latino residents recommend for improving the available programs and services that respond to substance use issues in the Latino community? Methodology: Residents (n=54) from Boston, Brookline, Chelsea, Lynn, New Bedford, Fall River, and Worcester participated in focus groups and interviews to share their insights regarding the perceptions of the Latino community concerning substance use disorder (SUD), highlight their concerns, and provide recommendations for appropriate services based on their own perspectives. Interviews and focus groups were conducted in Spanish, English, and Portuguese. A qualitative thematic analysis approach was adopted for analyzing data from the various focus groups and interviews.
Community Engaged/Serving
Part of the UMass Boston Community-Engaged Teaching, Research, and Service Series. //scholarworks.umb.edu/engage
Recommended Citation
Torres-Ardila, Fabián; Rae, Mariana Beu; Chiriboga, Germán; Bateman, Kathryn G.; Bravo, Daniela; Lama, Astha; and Vallejo, Leandra, "Perceptions of Substance Use Among the Latino Community in Massachusetts: A Qualitative Analysis" (2024). Gastón Institute Publications. 313.
https://scholarworks.umb.edu/gaston_pubs/313