20 percent of Americans know someone who has dealt with opioid addiction

About one-fifth of adults, and one-quarter of white adults, personally know someone who has suffered an opioid addiction, according to a new report.

The survey is part of the Federal Reserve's Report on the Economic Well-Being of U.S. Households in 2017, which was released this week.

Along with broader trends across the economy, the report wanted to see how the opioid crisis relates to economic well-being. The report said opioid addiction was much more common among white Americans than minorities, no matter the education level.

One hypothesis of the researchers was that a decline in economic opportunities drives the epidemic. However, the report said the evidence of that is mixed. The report said their findings suggest officials should look beyond the economy to understand the opioid epidemic.

For the more general findings of the report, about 74 percent of American adults said they are doing okay or are living comfortably in 2017, about 10 percent higher than 2013. Of those surveyed, three out of five urban dwellers said their local economy as good or excellent, compared to two in five rural residents.

About 40 percent of adults said that if faced with an unexpected expense of $400, they would either not be able to pay it or would do so by selling something or borrowing money. In 2013, 50 percent of adults said they couldn't cover an unexpected expense.

When it comes to medical expenses, about 25 percent of adults said that due to the cost, they skipped necessary medical care.

To read the whole report, click here. 

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