4095.0: Tuesday, November 14, 2000 - Board 1

Abstract #16593

Barriers to drug treatment utilization among young drug users ascertained by community outreach

Amelia M. Arria, PhD1, Nina X. Shah2, Crystal M. Fuller3, Carl Lutkin4, Steffanie A. Strathdee, PhD3, and David Vlahov, PhD5. (1) Department of Mental Hygiene, Johns Hopkins University, School of Public Health, 615 North Wolfe Street, Suite E6005, Baltimore, MD 21205, 410/614-5257, aarria@jhsph.edu, (2) Department of Epidemiology, Infectious Disease Program, Johns Hopkins University School of Public Health, (3) Department of Epidemiology, Infectious Disease Program, Johns Hopkins University, School of Public Health, (4) Department of Epidemiology, Infectious Disease Progam, Johns Hopkins University School of Public Health, (5) Center for Urban Epidemiologic Studies, New York Academy of Medicine

OBJECTIVES: To determine the reasons for not seeking drug treatment among young injection drug users (IDUs) and non-injecting drug users (NIDU) in a community sample, and to examine the differences between these two groups after adjusting for potentially confounding demographic variables. METHODS: This study used data from 226 IDUs and 179 NIDUs enrolled in a longitudinal evaluation of injection drug use. As part of the baseline interview, questions were asked to assess utilization of drug treatment in the past six months, and, if no treatment were received, the barriers to treatment utilization. RESULTS: Median age was 26 years (range: 15-30); a majority (75%) were African-American and female (X%). 67% of IDUs reported receiving no drug treatment in the past six months, compared to 80% of the NIDUs (Adjusted OR=1.79; 95% CI=1.1 – 2.9). Compared to NIDUs, IDUs were significantly more likely to report not being able to afford the cost, getting turned away from treatment, and failing at past attempts at treatment and significantly less likely to report reasons related to denial of a drug problem, concern about losing family, and feeling like treatment was for weak people. Other important reasons for both groups included not feeling the need to stop using drugs and feeling as if treatment does not work. This evidence adds to our growing knowledge of treatment seeking behavior among hard-to-reach drug using populations and has implications for education about treatment options and improving service delivery.

Learning Objectives: Information regarding early points of intervention and prevention of HIV among young IDUs will be discussed. Participants will be able to use this information to identify early high risk groups for HIV, HCV and other parenteral infections commonly found among IDUs. At the conclusion of the session the participant in this session will be able to 1) recognize street youth at risk of becoming injectors and becoming HIV/HCV infected, 2)effectively evaluate their own communities for similar high risk youth, and 3) analyze any existing data for consistancy and replication of these findings

Keywords: HIV Risk Behavior, Drug Injectors

Presenting author's disclosure statement:
Organization/institution whose products or services will be discussed: None
I do not have any significant financial interest/arrangement or affiliation with any organization/institution whose products or services are being discussed in this session.

The 128th Annual Meeting of APHA