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APHA Scientific Session and Event Listing

Dionne J. Jones, PhD, Division of Epidemiology, Services & Prevention Research, National Institute on Drug Abuse, 6001 Executive Boulevard, Room 5185, MSC 9589, Bethesda, MD 20892, 301-402-1984, djones1@nida.nih.gov

This symposium presents strategies and techniques that have been used to provide services to out-of-treatment drug abusers, particularly in a time of reduced spending and budget cuts for healthcare for the poor and underserved. The research presented in this symposium was sponsored by The National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA). The researchers illustrate strategies and techniques used in the methodological design of the studies to protect the human rights of vulnerable populations as they seek access to treatment and services. The first presentation highlights the human rights issue of lack of access to substance abuse and mental health treatment, addressing the racial/ethnic disparities. Results are presented on a peer delivered brief motivational intervention that protects the human rights of substance abusers. The second presentation identifies environmental risk factors that increase the need for stringent monitoring and protection of the human rights of vulnerable populations in research. The presentation addresses a variety of prevention strategies used with these populations, such as testing for STDs and referrals to substance abuse and mental health services. The third presentation highlights gender and race/ethnic disparities in severity, service access, service utilization and treatment outcomes, and shares methodological challenges related to the analysis of organizational- and service-level data across race/ethnic and gender groups. The fourth presentation highlights findings from a study that examined the effects of a cognitive-behavioral stress management intervention on an inner city sample of HIV+ recovering drug abusers and emphasizes the need for an integrated approach to address co-occurring health conditions.

Learning Objectives:

• To identify strategies and techniques that have been used in providing services to out-of-treatment drug abusers.
• To identify techniques developed in the study design to protect the human rights of vulnerable populations.
• To identify different treatment approaches that may be needed in working with racially/ethnically diverse groups.

Keywords: Drug Abuse, Access to Health Care

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

Any relevant financial relationships? No