Community-Based Substance Abuse Reduction and the Gap Between Treatment Need and Treatment Utilization: Analysis of Data From the "Fighting Back" General Population Survey

• NCJ Number: 215534
• Journal: Journal of Drug Issues Volume: 36 Issue: 2 Dated: Spring 2006 Pages: 295-312
• Author(s): Elizabeth Tighe; Leonard Saxe
• Date Published: 2006
• Length: 18 pages
• Sponsoring Agency: Robert Wood Johnson Foundation
• Publication Format: Article
• Publication Type: Program/Project Description
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America

Annotation

Evaluation data were used to examine whether the gap between treatment need and treatment use was reduced in communities that participated in the national demonstration program called "Fighting Back," which was launched to determine the effectiveness of broad-based community drug prevention programs.

Abstract

After 10 years of program implementation in 12 sites, the evaluation found that the gap between treatment need and the use of specialized treatment services was unchanged; as few as 6 percent to 7 percent of those identified as needing treatment actually received it. A number of individual characteristics distinguished those who received treatment from those who did not. Females were more than seven times less likely to receive treatment when needed compared to males; African-Americans were four times less likely and Hispanics three times less likely than White respondents to seek treatment when needed. Those 25 years old and younger were four times less likely to seek treatment than those over 25 years old, and those unemployed and those living in poverty were three times more likely to receive treatments. The findings indicate that even within comprehensive community-based strategies to reduce substance abuse, more must be done to identify those who need treatment. Methods for involving individuals in treatment must be tailored to removing obstacles and changing behaviors/attitudes that prevent drug abusers with various characteristics from seeking treatment. As part of the evaluation, a random-digit dialing telephone survey was conducted in the spring of 1995, 1997, and 1999. Respondents were 45,887 residents of 12 communities where the program was implemented; 20,435 respondents were interviewed in 29 comparison sites. All respondents were 16-44 years old. The survey measured drug dependency, treatment need, and treatment participation. 6 tables and 24 references