Date of Publication
6-1-2022
Abstract
Background: Human trafficking is a humanitarian crisis. Current literature identifies risk factors predisposing individuals to becoming trafficked, including housing insecurity, substance use disorders, and disrupted childhood households. This study investigates the relationship between human trafficking and substance use disorder in Vermont.
Methods: Nine qualitative interviews were conducted with professions directly interacting with victims of human trafficking in Vermont, representing Law Enforcement, Healthcare, and Community Services professionals. A standardized interview guide included questions that aimed to uncover risk factors, health and support needs, and challenges victims face. Two coders individually reviewed each set of interview notes prior to meeting to finalize themes and subcategories, to construct a thematic network.
Results: Substance use was cited as strongly associated with human trafficking by each category of professionals, and several additional themes emerged. Accessibility to resources was cited twice as frequently as the next most common theme, the nature of human trafficking, with subcategories of limited ability to help victims and victim’s lack of transportation most frequently mentioned. The nature of human trafficking theme included sex work/trafficking and Vermont-specific issues as the most frequent subcategories, while complex medical issues and socioemotional concerns shared the third most cited theme.
Conclusion: Human trafficking and substance use disorder are closely entwined in Vermont. To address this public health crisis, national guidelines should be augmented with regional risk factors and accessibility concerns. Additional research must be conducted to expand this Vermont specific data set. Risk factors and accessibility concerns in Vermont should be compared to other regions in the United States.
Advisor(s)
Molly Rideout, MD
Larner College of Medicine, University of Vermont
Edith Klimoski
Community Agency Mentor
Agency
Give Way to Freedom
Subjects
Community, Drug and Alcohol Use, Economic Stability, Environmental Health, Health Communication, Health-Related Quality of Life & Well-Being, Public Health Infrastructure, Social Determinants of Health, Social and Community Context, Substance Abuse, Violence Prevention
Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial 3.0 License
Recommended Citation
Ahsan, Arif S.; Chikezie, Adaugo; Franco, Jordan S.; Kettlewell, Heather A.; Marassi, Caitlin E.; Mitchell, Dan J.; and Ravichandran, Kae L., "Behind Closed Doors: Substance Use Disorder and Human Trafficking in Vermont" (2022). Public Health Projects, 2008-present. 358.
https://scholarworks.uvm.edu/comphp_gallery/358