As behavioural health occupations have diversified, more specialists such as social workers and counsellors are involved in providing substance use disorder treatment services. This study examined the association between changes in the number of different types of behavioural health professionals and changes in drug and opioid overdose deaths in the United States. Using publicly available state-level data from 2008 to 2017, we constructed multivariate linear regression models with state- and year fixed-effects to examine the effect of changes in the number of different types of behavioural health professionals (i.e. psychiatrists, psychologists, social workers and counsellors) on changes in drug and opioid overdose deaths at the state level, controlling for state population characteristics and other state-level factors. After controlling for confounding factors, a 1% increase in the number of social workers and counsellors at the state level was significantly associated with a 0.215% reduction in drug overdose deaths per 100,000 state population and with a 0.358% reduction in opioid overdose deaths per 100,000 state population. We did not find statistically significant associations between changes in drug overdose death rates and increases in the number of psychiatrists or psychologists alone. Our findings suggest efforts to facilitate a prepared and skilled workforce, such as expanding the capacity of social workers and counsellors, to maximise access to substance use disorder treatment services.

中文翻译：

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美国州级药物和阿片类药物过量死亡与行为健康专业人员能力的关联

随着行为健康职业的多样化，越来越多的专家，如社会工作者和辅导员，参与提供药物滥用障碍治疗服务。这项研究调查了美国不同类型的行为健康专业人员数量的变化与药物和阿片类药物过量死亡人数变化之间的关联。使用 2008 年至 2017 年的公开可用州级数据，我们构建了具有州和年份固定效应的多元线性回归模型，以检验不同类型的行为健康专业人员（即精神病学家、心理学家、社会工作者）数量变化的影响和顾问）关于州一级药物和阿片类药物过量死亡人数的变化，控制州人口特征和其他州级因素。在控制混杂因素后，州一级社会工作者和辅导员人数增加 1% 与每 100,000 人药物过量死亡人数减少 0.215% 以及每 100,000 人阿片类药物过量死亡人数减少 0.358% 显着相关州人口。我们没有发现药物过量死亡率的变化与精神科医生或心理学家数量的增加之间存在统计学上的显着关联。我们的研究结果建议努力促进有准备和熟练的劳动力，例如扩大社会工作者和辅导员的能力，以最大限度地获得物质使用障碍治疗服务。每 100,000 州人口的药物过量死亡人数减少 215%，每 100,000 州人口的阿片类药物过量死亡人数减少 0.358%。我们没有发现药物过量死亡率的变化与精神科医生或心理学家数量的增加之间存在统计学上的显着关联。我们的研究结果建议努力促进有准备和熟练的劳动力，例如扩大社会工作者和辅导员的能力，以最大限度地获得物质使用障碍治疗服务。每 100,000 州人口的药物过量死亡人数减少 215%，每 100,000 州人口的阿片类药物过量死亡人数减少 0.358%。我们没有发现药物过量死亡率的变化与精神科医生或心理学家数量的增加之间存在统计学上的显着关联。我们的研究结果建议努力促进有准备和熟练的劳动力，例如扩大社会工作者和辅导员的能力，以最大限度地获得物质使用障碍治疗服务。