Digital Invisibility: Presence of Substance Use Disorder Treatment Programs for Women in the Caribbean

Background 

The World Health Organization notes that most countries across the world have allocated no financial resources for the treatment of substance use disorders (SUD). Although women comprise one-third of the global population using substances, they represent only one-fifth of those in substance use disorder treatment across the world. They are more likely than men to experience barriers when seeking treatment. Treatment for SUD can be challenging to find in the Caribbean. Given that an average of 83% of the population in the region uses the internet to source information, coupled with the anonymity and speed of available results provided by search engines, existing treatment programs should be easy to find. This study investigates the digital presence of 82 SUD treatment programs and institutions across 14 Caribbean countries.

Methods

For the present paper, the countries listed in the Directory of Caribbean Substance Use Prevention, Treatment, and Rehabilitation–Focused Institutions of the OAS-CICAD were included. These are Antigua, Bahamas, Barbados,  Belize, Bermuda,  Grenada, Guyana, Haiti, Jamaica, Dominica, St. Kitts and Nevis,  St. Lucia  St. Vincent and the Grenadines, Suriname, and Trinidad and Tobago.

The digital search was conducted between April 30, 2023, and June 15, 2023, using Google Chrome, Facebook, and Instagram in Rosario, Argentina. In Google Chrome the keywords used were the name of each country + the name of the institution stated in the Directory.  The online searches also included the name of each country + keywords such as drug use treatment center, drug treatment, and treatment for drug use.

Results

Our findings revealed that overall 45% (37) of centers have minimal digital footprint stating only the name of the treatment center and location. At the time of the search, 93% of them provided no information about the SUD treatment specifications (population treated, type of treatment, costs, length, availability of child care services, or admission process). Of the 37 programs with an online presence, 5 (7%) were represented by a Facebook page alone. Thus, almost none of the 82 programs have a sufficient digital footprint to allow a potential patient to find treatment possibilities and make a judgment about seeking admission

Conclusions

The Caribbean region mirrors most other parts of the world in its scarce availability of SUD treatment services. Considering that women experience significantly more barriers than men when seeking treatment, especially through stigma and shame, any improvement in the digital accessibility of SUD treatment programs, could signify a window of opportunity for women in the Caribbean to access treatment. To support the availability of treatment information in this region of the world, the authors have created a list of essential information templates that program leaders can use in posting about their treatment center’s services on the Internet.