NCJ Number
172331
Date Published
1997
Length
61 pages
Annotation
This report analyzes the prevalence and correlates of drug treatment in a sample of individuals representing the U.S. household population aged 12 years and older, as surveyed in the 1992 and 1993 National Household Surveys on Drug Abuse (NHSDA).
Abstract
Information from the NHSDA was used to compare demographic characteristics of populations receiving drug treatment before and during 1992-1993. Parallel information from three major national surveys of drug treatment providers was also analyzed. NHSDA data covered drug use prevalence, motivations, financing, settings, and treatment outcomes. Findings revealed about 4.7 million individuals, or 2.3 percent of the household population aged 12 years and older, had ever been treated for drug problems; 1.4 million had been treated during the past year and 424,000 had been treated during the past month. About two-thirds of those treated were male, had an average age in the early 30s, and reported low family incomes, and many were unemployed. The drug treatment population was primarily composed of individuals with extreme drug use patterns. Most individuals received treatment in multiple settings, commonly in drug treatment facilities and self-help groups. Drug use patterns of individuals seen in drug treatment and mental health centers, self-help groups, and medical settings were generally similar. Individuals typically cited multiple reasons for seeking treatment. Major sources of payment for drug treatment were health insurance and individual earnings or savings. There was a strong relationship between current age and outcome of the last treatment. Successful completion of the last treatment was appreciably higher for college graduates than for nongraduates and was also higher for currently employed versus unemployed individuals. Appendixes contain supplemental information on estimating the need for drug treatment and questions from the 1992 and 1993 NHSDA. 21 tables