Showing papers in "American Journal of Drug and Alcohol Abuse in 1989"
TL;DR: The logistic analysis revealed that, of the ten variables in the model, the most important for distinguishing abused from nonabused women are husband's drug use, a history of paternal violence in womens' family or origin, husband's drunkenness, low income, and wife's drunkens.
Abstract: This study examines the question of whether drug and alcohol use by victims constitutes a risk factor increasing the chances of their being assaulted by their partners. Data from a subsample of the 1985 National Family Violence Survey consisting of the 2,033 female respondents who were currently married or living in a male-female couple relationship are used as the basis of the analysis. The logistic analysis revealed that, of the ten variables in the model, the most important for distinguishing abused from nonabused women are husband's drug use, a history of paternal violence in womens' family or origin, husband's drunkenness, low income, and wife's drunkenness. Women who abuse alcohol are more likely to be victims of minor marital violence, but female substance abuse of any type is not a significant factor in severe violence.
258 citations
TL;DR: It is suggested that the alcoholic's social network can be helped to become highly influential in motivating the alcoholic to seek treatment.
Abstract: Little empirical work has been done in the alcohol field on the issue of motivating reticent people into treatment. This study explored the impact of a program that involved counseling an alcoholic's social network to eventually confront the alcoholic in urging him or her to seek treatment. Twenty-four social networks (relatives plus significant others) participated in this study and of these, seven formally confronted the alcoholic. Social networks were not randomized to confronting vs nonconfronting conditions, although the comparison groups were equivalent on several important dimensions. Results indicate that alcoholics who were confronted were significantly more likely to enter an alcohol detox or rehabilitation program and to remain continuously abstinent than were nonconfronted alcoholics. This study suggests that the alcoholic's social network can be helped to become highly influential in motivating the alcoholic to seek treatment.
75 citations
TL;DR: The authors reject the hypothesis that increased alcohol consumption is caused solely by addicts' participation in methadone maintenance treatment, and suggest that addicts' alcohol use during Methadone treatment reflects a lifetime pattern of increased alcohol use following any decline in heroin intake.
Abstract: This study examines the relationship between the patterns of use of alcohol and heroin by narcotics addicts, and evaluates the hypothesis--frequently reported during methadone maintenance--that this form of treatment can be causally implicated in an increased consumption of alcohol. Data were obtained on lifetime patterns of alcohol and heroin use of 375 Anglo and Chicano male addicts sampled from two treatment sources: the nonmethadone (drug-free) California Civil Addict Program (CAP) and several Southern California Methadone Maintenance (MM) programs. Repeated-measures MANOVAs revealed that alcohol and heroin consumption were inversely related throughout the addicts' careers. This pattern was evident in the addiction, treatment, and postdischarge stages of Anglo and Chicano addict careers, in both the CAP and MM samples. Consequently, the authors reject the hypothesis that increased alcohol consumption is caused solely by addicts' participation in methadone maintenance treatment. Rather, the findings suggest that addicts' alcohol use during methadone treatment reflects a lifetime pattern of increased alcohol use following any decline in heroin intake.
68 citations
TL;DR: Alcohol, cannabis, and cocaine accounted for 82% of the drug abuse in schizophrenic patients and 25% of bipolar patients.
Abstract: The incidence and type of drug abuse for 50 male schizophrenic patients and 60 male and female bipolar, manic patients were determined. Fifty percent of schizophrenic patients and 25% of bipolar patients abused one or more drugs. Alcohol, cannabis, and cocaine accounted for 82% of the drug abuse.
67 citations
TL;DR: The highest relationship with alcohol involvement in both groups was with peer alcohol associations, confirming the a priori hypothesis that much of adolescent alcohol use is linked to peer associations.
Abstract: Anonymous surveys of alcohol use and emotional distress of 11th and 12th grade students were administered to 327 reservation Indian adolescents and 524 Anglo adolescents. Path models based on peer cluster theory were developed and tested. Results argue against a self-medication theory of adolescent alcohol use. Emotional distress variables had little effect on alcohol involvement, with the exception of anger which operated in opposite directions for the two groups. The highest relationship with alcohol involvement in both groups was with peer alcohol associations, confirming the a priori hypothesis that much of adolescent alcohol use is linked to peer associations. Those relationships, however, were much stronger in Anglo youth, suggesting that alcohol may be used more frequently in nonpeer situations by Indian youth, or at least in situations where the peers are not those close friends who have very similar patterns of alcohol use. The most important difference between Indian and Anglo youth, however, ma...
64 citations
TL;DR: One hundred and fourteen Los Angeles County Coroner's cases found to be positive in drug screening for the presence of cocaine were studied to determine the relationship between cocaine abuse and violent death.
Abstract: One hundred and fourteen Los Angeles County Coroner's cases found to be positive in drug screening for the presence of cocaine were studied to determine the relationship between cocaine abuse and violent death. Of these 114 victims, 70 (61.4%) died a violent death--over 68% of these as shootings and stabbings. Fourteen of the violent death victims (20%) were found to have been behaving in a violent manner just prior to their death. Violence seems to be clearly connected to the use and abuse of cocaine.
53 citations
TL;DR: In this article, Nontreatment factors affecting treatment outcome in substance abuse are discussed, and the American Journal of Drug and Alcohol Abuse: Vol. 15, No. 1, pp. 13-29.
Abstract: (1989). Nontreatment Factors Affecting Treatment Outcome in Substance Abuse. The American Journal of Drug and Alcohol Abuse: Vol. 15, No. 1, pp. 13-29.
51 citations
TL;DR: Key issues addressed involve the impact of alcoholism on the process and structure of family life, the degree to which varying patterns of family interaction serve to potentiate or inhibit the development of alcoholism in children of alcoholics, and the degree of observed patterns vary in relation to nature of dysfunction.
Abstract: The purpose of this paper is to describe the authors' ongoing investigation of alcoholism and family interaction—a large-scale observation study involving intact families assessed under a broad range of conditions. The methodology is characterized by the inclusion of two control groups, laboratory observations involving experimental drinking procedures, and naturalistic home observations focused on dinnertime interactions. Key issues addressed involve the impact of alcoholism on the process and structure of family life, the degree to which varying patterns of family interaction serve to potentiate or inhibit the development of alcoholism in children of alcoholics, and the degree to which observed patterns vary in relation to nature of dysfunction (alcoholism versus depression). The current status and initial outcomes of the project are described in detail.
43 citations
TL;DR: No significant differences were found between groups, suggesting that the mode of data collection does not affect the reliability of adolescents' self-reports of substance use.
Abstract: The purpose of this study is to determine the impact of different modes of data collection on the reliability of self-reported drug use of adolescents in a panel study. Adolescents were assigned to four groups based upon the ways they chose to respond to the survey instruments: 1) mailed questionnaires in both years, 2) survey interview in one year and mailed questionnaire in the next year, 3) mailed questionnaire in one year and survey interview in the following year, and 4) survey interview in both years. The quality of the self-reported data was examined in terms of return rates, missing data, internal consistency, and consistency of reported information over time. No significant differences were found between groups, suggesting that the mode of data collection does not affect the reliability of adolescents' self-reports of substance use.
35 citations
TL;DR: Psychoactive substance use did not relate to the ways subjects appraised and coped with stressful encounters, and only a small number of subjects used drugs or alcohol specifically to help them cope in these encounters.
Abstract: Data are presented on a) the relationship between psychoactive substance use and personal characteristics, b) the relationship between psychoactive substance use and appraisal of and coping with stressful situations, and c) the use of psychoactive substances specifically to cope with stress among older people. Data were provided by 141 65-to-74-year-old retired Caucasians who were assessed repeatedly over 6 months. Compared to national samples, subjects were relatively heavy users of alcohol and average users of psychoactive drugs. Use of alcohol increased with income, and drug use was associated with several psychosocial characteristics as well as with psychological and somatic health. Psychoactive substance use did not relate to the ways subjects appraised and coped with stressful encounters. Further, only a small number of subjects used drugs or alcohol specifically to help them cope in these encounters. The findings about psychoactive drug users are compared with other findings about misusers of drugs...
31 citations
TL;DR: It is argued that there is no evidence that women's cocaine use exceeds that of men's, that women’s rates of use are growing faster thanMen's, or that female cocaine users experience more problems than male cocaine users.
Abstract: Women's use of prescription medication exceeds that of men's and yet is not viewed with the alarm and disapproval that accompanies women's lower levels of use of alcohol and illicit drugs. Reports in the media, based on anecdotal accounts, have identified women as a group at particular risk for cocaine addiction and have suggested that their problems with cocaine are greater than men's. After reviewing the scientific literature and analyzing the results of an original research study, this paper argues that there is no evidence that women's cocaine use exceeds that of men's, that women's rates of use are growing faster than men's, or that female cocaine users experience more problems than male cocaine users. Since the deviant image of the female cocaine user is a social construction lacking a factual basis, we conclude that a different standard is being applied to women who use cocaine than to men who use cocaine.
TL;DR: Using structured interviews and the SCL-90R, study was made of the behaviors of 29 applicants to a residential treatment program for cocaine abuse who had been placed on the program's waiting list for periods ranging from 1 to 6 months, suggesting the problem of maintaining a useful waiting listFor treatment.
Abstract: Using structured interviews and the SCL-90R, study was made of the behaviors of 29 applicants to a residential treatment program for cocaine abuse who had been placed on the program's waiting list for periods ranging from 1 to 6 months. It was hypothesized that applicants waiting treatment for 3 months or less (N = 16) would be more likely to view themselves as treatment candidates and would show behaviors different from those waiting 4-6 months (N = 13). Being on the waiting list a longer period was associated with greater evidence of criminal justice involvement, but with few other differences. Nearly half the total sample (48.3%) reported having significantly reduced drug use in association with their applying for treatment, but most applicants (58.6%) were pessimistic about their long-term capacity to remain free of drug-related difficulty. The pattern of SCL-90R scores for all subjects suggested significant psychiatric symptoms, including depression. Nonetheless, a majority of all applicants (51.7%) reported themselves as having become less interested in entering treatment. Nearly all applicants reported high levels of encouragement for their decision to enter treatment from persons with whom they were living and about half reported encouragement from friends. Of the 23 applicants who were IV drug users, 10 (41.7%) reported knowing someone who had contracted AIDS, 87.0% reported having changed behaviors--chiefly needle sharing--to reduce the risk of infection, and 69.6% reported having obtained HIV testing. The difficulty encountered in locating a random sample of applicants suggests the problem of maintaining a useful waiting list for treatment.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
TL;DR: It is demonstrated that opioid dependence clusters in families of opioid-dependent probands are consistent with but not equivalent to familial transmission, and the findings suggest that the extrafamilial environment affected choice of alcohol or opioid as the principal substance of dependence.
Abstract: From interviews with 235 opioid-dependent probands, the lifetime prevalence of opioid dependence among their family members was found to be 8.4%, markedly exceeding the estimated lifetime prevalence of 0.9% in the general adult population. Gender-specific lifetime prevalence rates of alcoholism among family members did not consistently exceed rates in the general adult population as estimated from epidemiologic studies based on direct interviews. Because interviews with probands alone tend to underestimate family prevalence of alcoholism, the family rates may have exceeded the general population rates. The probands themselves had a high lifetime prevalence (56%) of alcoholism. A trend toward association of alcoholism in the probands with alcoholism in the parents was found. An intergenerational increase in availability of heroin and in heroin-using peers was accompanied by an intergenerational reversal in prevalence of alcoholism and opioid dependence. The parents of probands had higher rates of alcoholism than of opioid dependence, while the siblings of probands had higher rates of opioid dependence than of alcoholism. This study and preceding studies demonstrate that opioid dependence clusters in families of opioid-dependent probands. Familial clustering is consistent with but not equivalent to familial transmission. The findings suggest that the extrafamilial environment affected choice of alcohol or opioid as the principal substance of dependence.
TL;DR: In this article, the construct validity of a retrospective self-report measure of early childhood aggression, the Early Experience Questionnaire (EEQ), was assessed in a sample of substance abusing volunteers for drug studies at a research center in Baltimore.
Abstract: The construct validity of a retrospective self-report measure of early childhood aggression, the Early Experience Questionnaire (EEQ), was assessed in a sample of substance abusing volunteers for drug studies at a research center in Baltimore. In contrast to the diagnosis of Antisocial Personality Disorder (APD), EEQ scores were not only associated with adult aggression, criminality, and substance abuse, but were also highly correlated with a cluster of measures reflecting emotionally reactive impulsivity. Correlations of the EEQ with the Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory confirmed earlier findings obtained on a sample of alcoholics. Over and above the predictive influence of APD, early childhood aggression had some predictive influence on the incidence and severity of substance abuse but a substantial influence on the prediction of criminality.
TL;DR: Compared lay-administered DIS diagnoses with clinical diagnoses of patients in a state hospital treatment program for "dual diagnoses" patients, categories of DIS diagnoses showed weak association with categories of clinical diagnoses.
Abstract: “Dual diagnoses” of substance abuse and mental illness disorders are common both in psychiatric and substance abuse treatment settings. Recent studies have demonstrated that specific diagnostic cat...
TL;DR: Phencyclidine toxicity needs to be considered when evaluating babies with signs of neonatal narcotic withdrawal syndrome, as well as effects on the infants being raised by women who have used PCP.
Abstract: Fifty-seven infants exposed to phencyclidine (PCP) in utero were followed for the first year of life. Thirty-six (65%) of the 55 for whom birth records were available manifested symptoms of neonatal narcotic withdrawal syndrome, including 16 (52%) of those whose mothers denied opiate abuse during pregnancy. Temperament problems were noted in 47% of the babies and sleep problems in 14%. The majority of infants grew normally, but a larger than expected number started out small and remained small. Testing using the Bayley Scales of Infant Development at age one year revealed a mental development index (mean +/- SD) of 94 +/- 10 and a psychomotor development index of 98 +/- 10. Attachment behavior was abnormal in 17%. Most infants were cared for by their natural mother. Further studies are needed to determine later effects of in utero PCP exposure, as well as effects on the infants being raised by women who have used PCP. Phencyclidine toxicity needs to be considered when evaluating babies with signs of neonatal narcotic withdrawal syndrome.
TL;DR: Alcoholics and persons with only a high school education felt the use of disguised questionnaires improved their accuracy significantly more often than nonalcoholics or individuals in the sample who attended graduate school.
Abstract: In preparation for a physician intervention trial to determine the effectiveness of treatment of alcoholism in a primary care setting, a study was conducted to determine patient reaction to a masked alcohol screening questionnaire. The disguised questionnaire was developed to improve the accuracy of self-reported drinking behavior and facilitate blinded randomization to an intervention and control group. Patient reaction was determined by a face-to-face structured interview. The interview was structured to elicit responses before and after the patient was informed of the true nature of the questionnaire. The sample consisted of 21 alcoholic and 33 nonalcoholic patients in a primary care clinic. Seventy-five percent of the respondents were comfortable not being fully informed when research procedures involve the use of disguised alcohol questionnaires. There was some discomfort over the deceptive nature of the questionnaire, but 83% of the subjects believed the deception was justified and necessary. Males and alcoholics in the sample were more comfortable not being fully informed about research procedures suggesting greater trust in the medical profession. Females, on the other hand, were more concerned than males about how a family member would react to the disclosure of family health information. Alcoholics and persons with only a high school education felt the use of disguised questionnaires improved their accuracy significantly more often than nonalcoholics or individuals in the sample who attended graduate school.
TL;DR: Although the two groups did not differ significantly on the quantity and frequency of alcohol intake, men in Group 2 were more likely to report at least one episode of heavy drinking and alcohol-related problems, and their responses indicated a higher rate of a family history of alcoholism.
Abstract: Data from a questionnaire sent to 704 male university students and nonacademic staff were reanalyzed to compare self-reports of drug and alcohol intake patterns and problems as well as family histories of psychiatric disorders for Jewish (N = 110, Group 1) and Christian men (N = 594, Group 2). Although the two groups did not differ significantly on the quantity and frequency of alcohol intake, men in Group 2 were more likely to report at least one episode of heavy drinking and alcohol-related problems, and their responses indicated a higher rate of a family history of alcoholism. There were no differences across the groups on the proportion of lifetime drug use and related difficulties, or on the family histories of other psychiatric disorders. The results are consistent with previous studies demonstrating a lower prevalence of heavy drinking and related problems among Jews.
TL;DR: The results support the validity of the dependence syndrome in opiate addiction because dependence is correlated with severity of withdrawal, is fairly specific to the drug, and is not related to social problems.
Abstract: Drug diagnoses in DSM-III-R are based on the dependence syndrome concept which hypothesizes that dependence on drugs is defined by behavioral and physiological changes but is separate from the social problems related to drug use. Previous studies provide support for the dependence syndrome in drug use; however, no study has examined whether biological indications of addiction are related to the dependence syndrome. The present study tests this relationship in 52 opiate addicts who were administered the Naloxone Challenge Test. The severity of withdrawal was correlated positively with the opiate dependence score, derived from the number of DSM-III-R criteria met. We also found that opiate withdrawal was inversely related to cocaine dependence and unrelated to any other drug use. Opiate withdrawal was not correlated with a global measure of social problems or to frequency or length of drug use. Our results support the validity of the dependence syndrome in opiate addiction because dependence is correlated w...
TL;DR: The revisions for the diagnosis of Substance Use Disorders in DSM-III-R provide significant improvements toward a more valid and reliable categorization of substance use disorders, but additional considerations may be indicated to further enhance the utility of the DSM- III-R as a diagnostic instrument.
Abstract: The revisions for the diagnosis of Substance Use Disorders in DSM-III-R provide significant improvements toward a more valid and reliable categorization of substance use disorders. However, additional considerations may be indicated to further enhance the utility of the DSM-III-R as a diagnostic instrument.
TL;DR: The GHQ proved to be a useful, if limited, instrument for routine screening for psychiatric disorders other than substance abuse in this population, but the sensitivity or "utility" of the test at the optimum threshold score was considerably lower in this sample than in medical or community samples.
Abstract: The 60-item General Health Questionnaire (GHQ) and the National Institute of Mental Health Diagnostic Interview Schedule (DIS) were administered to 501 patients presenting for assessment or treatment of alcohol or drug problems at the Addiction Research Foundation, Toronto, Canada. The GHQ proved to be a useful, if limited, instrument for routine screening for psychiatric disorders other than substance abuse in this population. The sensitivity or "utility" of the test at the optimum threshold score was considerably lower in this sample than in medical or community samples. Receiver Operating Characteristic (ROC) analysis suggests a need for an upward revision of the cut-off score to 23/24 inpatients with alcohol or drug problems. At this threshold, sensitivity was 69%, specificity 75%, positive predictive value 77%, negative predictive value 66%, and overall misclassification rate 29%. A definition of "caseness" was used that included all DIS Axis I disorders with the exception of substance use and "cognitive impairment." Sensitivity of the GHQ was highest for the affective disorders (79%). False negatives accounted for the bulk (61%) of the misclassification rate. At the threshold score of 23/24, positive predictive values were greater for the unemployed and for patients with either no current substance use disorder or with both alcohol and drug disorders.
TL;DR: Although NCT predicted depression at follow-up, depression at intake did not significantly predict treatment outcome, and NCT score predicted outcome independently of psychopathology.
Abstract: Thirty seven consecutive applicants to methadone maintenance were assessed for depression and for level of opiate dependence using a 0.8-mg naloxone challenge. Nineteen of the applicants met DSM-III-R criteria for current major depression. At 3-month follow-up, high naloxone challenge test (NCT) scores at intake (high levels of opiate addiction) were found to predict poor program retention and elevated symptoms of depression at follow-up. Reports of heavy current drug use at intake were also associated with poor program retention and with high frequencies of positive urine screens for illicit substances during treatment. Level of addiction and reported amount of drug use at intake independently predicted program retention with a multiple correlation of 0.46 (P less than .01). Although NCT predicted depression at follow-up, depression at intake did not significantly predict treatment outcome, and NCT score predicted outcome independently of psychopathology.
TL;DR: In this paper, the authors examine the historical development of drug testing, motivations underlying proposals to implement workplace testing for drugs and alcohol, the types of programs currently in use, and the potential pitfalls of workplace testing, and discuss guidelines to ensure that workplace testing programs are fair and to minimize unwanted and harmful effects of testing.
Abstract: This paper examines the historical development of drug testing, the motivations underlying proposals to implement workplace testing for drugs and alcohol, the types of programs currently in use, and the potential pitfalls of workplace testing. It also examines the basic principles involved in disputes about the legality of workplace testing. Finally, this paper discusses guidelines to ensure that workplace testing programs are fair and to minimize unwanted and harmful effects of testing.
TL;DR: The attitudes of 100 urban mental health professionals toward alcoholism diagnosis and treatment were assessed using a 23-item questionnaire and referral to Alcoholics Anonymous was highly endorsed by those advocating sobriety.
Abstract: The attitudes of 100 urban mental health professionals toward alcoholism diagnosis and treatment were assessed using a 23-item questionnaire. A significant number of those sampled, physicians more than other professional groups, looked upon alcoholism as a disease in its own right. Physicians, attendings more than residents, subscribed to a more medical history-taking model. While the majority of those surveyed would advise complete sobriety, a large number would not. Likewise, despite a large percentage of our sample who indicated familiarity with alcohol-related concepts, a significant number did not. Referral to Alcoholics Anonymous was highly endorsed by those advocating sobriety. The meaning of these findings is discussed in relation to the marked improvement noted in professionals' attitudes toward alcoholic patients. Based on these findings, methods of further improving the clinician's awareness of alcoholism are considered.
TL;DR: A case report adds a fourth instance of excessive MAOI use and suggests patient characteristics which should alert the clinician to the risk ofMAOI abuse or addiction.
Abstract: The monoamine oxidase inhibitors are increasingly prescribed for several disorders today, after a hiatus of nonuse lasting a decade. One case of excessive MAOI use and two cases of MAOI withdrawal are reported in the literature. This case report adds a fourth instance and suggests patient characteristics which should alert the clinician to the risk of MAOI abuse or addiction.
TL;DR: A relationship between marital status and the psychological functioning of treatment clients is suggested and indicates that different segments of the cocaine-abusing population volunteer for different types of research.
Abstract: Comparisons were made of the functioning and characteristics of cocaine-abusing volunteers to a research ward (N = 25) and to an outpatient treatment program (N = 33) at the same research facility. It was hypothesized that individuals volunteering for clinical studies and for treatment-related studies would represent different segments of the cocaine-abusing population, and that those differences could be significant to an understanding of study findings. Demographic/background variables were assessed through use of the Addiction Severity Index, risk-taking behaviors relative to HIV infection and AIDS through use of a structured interview schedule, intellectual functioning through use of the Shipley Institute for Living Scale, and psychiatric symptoms through use of the Hopkins Symptom Check List (SCL-90R). Significant differences were obtained for criminal activity, needle sharing, and selected psychiatric symptoms. Marital status was particularly important to an understanding of differences between rese...
TL;DR: A cluster analysis on ASI severity ratings revealed a trend for workers to have family and psychological problems in addition to alcoholism, which seems not to have had an impact on wanting a job change.
Abstract: This study investigated whether occupational class is related to the severity of problems associated with alcohol abuse in females. Sixty-six female alcoholic inpatients at a private psychiatric hospital were studied. of these women, 31 were workers (working at the time of admission), 18 were unemployed workers (unemployed at admission but had worked most of their adult lives), and the remaining 17 were homemakers. Problem severity was assessed for 66 alcoholic women using the Addiction Severity Index (ASI), a standardized clinical interview. A questionnaire assessing the degree of occupational stress experienced was also administered. Employment problem severity ratings from the ASI differed significantly across the three occupation subgroups [F{2,63) = 10.99, p <. 05]; the unemployed workers reported more severe employment problems than did either the workers [t(63) = 3.07, p <. 05] or homemakers [t(63) = 4.77, p <. 05]. There were no significant differences between the three groups on the other five AS...
TL;DR: Age was the only subject characteristic that significantly predicted length of stay (r = .40) and treatment outcome was not significantly associated with subject characteristics.
Abstract: Despite the persistence of phencyclidine (PCP) abuse as a public health problem in many urban areas of the United States, there are no published data on outpatient treatment outcome. We studied 37 unselected male PCP abusers (mean age 32 years, 73% Black, 19% married, 68% unemployed) who attended at least one outpatient treatment session at the Brentwood Division, West Los Angeles VA Medical Center. Subjects had smoked PCP for an average of 7 years, with 84% using it at least weekly (38% daily) and 76% using other drugs (alcohol, marijuana, or cocaine). All subjects reported psychological dependence on PCP (i.e., liking PCP use and difficulty stopping despite adverse consequences), while none reported a physiological withdrawal syndrome when stopping PCP use. Subjects stayed in treatment an average of 21 weeks (range 1-155 weeks), attending an average of 68% of the group meetings. PCP was detected in weekly urine samples 78% of the time, with verbal self-report of recent PCP use occurring before 29% of the group meetings. Four subjects (11%) achieved at least 1 year of abstinence, 10 (30%) transferred to residential treatment or a community recovery home, 16 (48%) dropped out of treatment, and two (6%) were jailed. Treatment outcome was not significantly associated with subject characteristics. Age was the only subject characteristic that significantly predicted length of stay (r = .40).
TL;DR: It is suggested that PCP abuse and use are common among unselected patients seeking substance abuse inpatient treatment and that they are not confined to the adolescent/young adult age group.
Abstract: Screening of 155 consecutive admissions to a voluntary, 4-6 week substance abuse inpatient rehabilitation program revealed a 13% prevalence of PCP abuse (defined by DSM-III criteria) and a 23% prevalence of nonabusive PCP use. The 20 PCP abusers were significantly younger (31.6 vs 40.2 years) and had more prior arrests (2.0 vs 0.8) than the 36 nonabusive users, but did not differ in other sociodemographic characteristics. The age range of patients was older than previously reported in the literature, with three PCP abusers (15%) and 15 users (42%) 40 years of age or older. A majority of both abusers (80%) and users (97%) also abused other drugs, including alcohol (57%), opiates (29%), marijuana (29%), and stimulants (18%). The mean length of stay for PCP abusers was 27 days, with 11 completing inpatient treatment. Urine samples were collected upon admission from all patients and assayed for PCP by gas chromatography with N-P detection (sensitivity = 0.1 ng/mL). Patients with initial positive PCP results had follow-up urines collected at least weekly until the PCP assay was negative or they left the treatment program. Twenty-seven percent of patients had PCP detected in admission urine samples, one-third of whom initially denied PCP use. Six patients still had PCP detected after 4 weeks of hospitalization, without evidence of PCP reuse. These findings suggest that PCP abuse and use are common among unselected patients seeking substance abuse inpatient treatment and that they are not confined to the adolescent/young adult age group.