Back to Annual Meeting Page		American Public Health Association 133rd Annual Meeting & Exposition December 10-14, 2005 Philadelphia, PA

Abstract #116436

Hannah K. Knudsen, PhD¹, Catherine L. Dempsey, PhD², Paula Riggs, MD², and Paul M. Roman, PhD³. (1) Center for Research on Behavioral Health and Human Services Delivery, University of Georgia, 101 Barrow Hall, D. W. Brooks Drive, Athens, GA 30602, (2) Division of Substance Dependence, University of Colorado School of Medicine, 1728 Downing Street, Denver`, CO 80218, 303-315-1319, catherine.dempsey@uchsc.edu, (3) Institute for Behavioral Research, University of Georgia, 101 Barrow Hall, D. W. Brooks Drive, Athens, GA 30602

The unique needs of adolescents with substance use disorders necessitate the delivery of treatment services in adolescent-only programs. Previous research suggests that adolescents face significant barriers in accessing treatment services. Although considerable research has examined individual-level barriers to treatment, there is little research on the organizational factors associated with the availability of adolescent-only services in substance abuse treatment centers. Using data from a nationally representative sample of 450 privately funded substance abuse treatment centers, this research models the associations between organizational characteristics and adolescent treatment availability. Baseline data were collected in 1995 via face-to-face interviews, and follow-up interviews were conducted at 24-month intervals to measure organizational change. In 1995, about 23.5% (n = 104) of centers offered adolescent-only treatment programming. Logistic regression data revealed positive associations between adolescent treatment availability and center age, center size, number of outpatient programs, and presence of an eating disorders program. Discrete-time event history analysis was then used to predict the adoption of an adolescent-only program between 1995 and 2003 among the subset of centers not offering this service at baseline (n = 338). During this period, 111 centers (32.7%) adopted adolescent-only treatment programs. Adolescent treatment adoption was significantly greater in centers located within psychiatric hospitals, relative to centers located in non-hospital settings. Larger centers were more likely to adopt this service, as were centers with more outpatient levels of care. The presence of a program for eating disorders was positively associated with the adoption of adolescent substance abuse treatment services.

Learning Objectives:

• Based on this presentation, participants will be able to identify key organizational factors that are associated with the adoption of adolescent-only substance abuse treatment services in the private sector. Participants will be able to recognize that treatment access in the US is affected by organizational factors that result in some centers being more likely to offer adolescent-only services.

Keywords: Substance Abuse Treatment, Adolescents

Related Web page: www.uga.edu/ntcs/

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

I wish to disclose that I have NO financial interests or other relationship with the manufactures of commercial products, suppliers of commercial services or commercial supporters.