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The 130th Annual Meeting of APHA |
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The 130th Annual Meeting of APHA |
Karin M. Eyrich, MSW, MPE, George Warren Brown School of Social Work, Washington University, One Brookings Drive, CB 1196, St. Louis, MO 63130, (314) 935-7982, kme1@gwbmail.wustl.edu, David Pollio, PhD, School of Social Work, Washington University, One Brookings Dr., Box 1196, St. Louis, MO 63130-4899, and Carol S. North, MD, MPE, School of Medicine, Washington University, Department of Psychiatry, 660 S Euclid, CB 8134, Renard Building, Room 2210, St. Louis, MO 63110.
The relationship between social support and service use in the homeless drug-abusing population has received little systematic study. A hypothesis that social supports may facilitate access to services was examined in a NIDA-funded epidemiologic study of service utilization of 300 drug-abusing and 100 nondrug-abusing homeless individuals in St. Louis, Missouri selected from a variety of public settings (shelters, day centers, and homeless rehabilitation programs) including the streets. The Composite International Diagnostic Interview/Substance Abuse Module (CIDI/SAM) provided detailed assessment of drug use disorders. Social support was measured using questions from a previous NIAAA-funded study by this group as well as with the Arizona Social Support Interview Schedule. The CIDI/SAM Treatment Module, services items created for this study, and service use information gathered from agencies serving the homeless in St. Louis provided service utilization information. Multivariate logistic regression analyses demonstrated cocaine use disorder, less family contact, being bothered by family problems, and spending free time alone or with individuals in shelters to be associated with substance abuse service use. Cocaine and opiate use disorders and being bothered by family problems predicted mental health service use. Cannabis use disorder, greater family contact, more friends in the area, and spending free time with their children and other shelter guests but without individuals on the streets predicted use of homeless services. Spending free time with their children predicted health service use. Social support, particularly that of family, may play a role in service use, but further study is needed to draw conclusions about causal directionalities.
Learning Objectives:
Keywords: Homeless, Drug Abuse
Presenting author's disclosure statement:
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.