EFFECTS OF CRIMINAL JUSTICE AND MEDICAL DEFINITIONS OF A SOCIAL PROBLEM UPON THE DELIVERY OF TREATMENT - THE CASE OF DRUG ABUSE

• NCJ Number: 40288
• Journal: Journal of Health and Social Behavior Volume: 17 Issue: 2 Dated: (JUNE 1976) Pages: 169-176
• Author(s): R S WEPPNER; K S WELLS; D C MCBRIDE; R A LADNER
• Date Published: 1976
• Length: 8 pages
• Grant Number(s): H-81-DA-008800
• Sponsoring Agency: US Dept of Health, Education, and Welfare
• Corporate Author: American Sociological Review
• Publication Format: Article
• Publication Type: Report (Study/Research)
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America
• Note: REPRINT

Annotation

THIS STUDY SOUGHT TO EXPAND EXISTING KNOWLEDGE ON DRUG ABUSE BY EXAMINING AND COMPARING INFORMATION ON DRUG ABUSERS FROM A TRADITIONAL SOURCE - THE CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM - WITH INFORMATION FROM A HOSPITAL EMERGENCY ROOM.

Abstract

THE KNOWLEDGE THAT SOCIAL SCIENTISTS HAVE ABOUT DRUG ABUSERS AND DRUG ABUSE HAS BEEN OBTAINED FROM A POPULATION DEFINED AND OFTEN PROVIDED BY THE CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM. AS A RESULT, THIS KNOWLEDGE HAS BEEN LIMITED, GENERALLY, TO THOSE WHO USE ILLICT DRUGS. IN THIS PAPER, SELECTED SOCIAL AND DEMOGRAPHIC CHARACTERISTICS AND DRUG USE PATTERNS OF A POPULATION OF COUNTY HOSPITAL EMERGENCY ROOM DRUG OVERDOSE CASES WERE EXAMINED AND COMPARED TO A POPULATION OF DRUG USERS IN DRUG TREATMENT PROGRAMS IN THE SAME COUNTY. IF WAS FOUND THAT DRUG USERS WHO CAME TO THE EMERGENCY ROOM, IN COMPARISON WITH DRUG USERS IN TREATMENT, WERE MORE LIKELY TO BE FEMALE, OLDER AND ABUSERS OF PRESCRIPTION DRUGS. IN ADDITION, IT WAS FOUND THAT THE EXISTING TREATMENT PROGRAMS IN THE COUNTY IN THEIR PRESENT STRUCTURE SEEM TO BE UNABLE TO PROVIDE ADEQUATE TREATMENT SERVICES TO THE DRUG-USING EMERGENCY ROOM POPULATION. (AUTHOR ABSTRACT)...DMC