June 7, 2002 |
Characteristics of Repeat Admissions to Substance Abuse Treatment |
In Brief |
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Substance of Abuse An earlier DASIS Report indicated that alcohol accounted for about half of both new and repeat 1999 treatment episodes.1 Those admitted to treatment 5 or more times previously were more likely to report opiate abuse (34 percent) than were new admissions (9 percent). They were also less likely to report marijuana as a primary substance (4 percent compared with 21 percent of new admissions). Demographics A strong association between older age and a higher number of prior treatment episodes was noted in the earlier report. Men and women reported similar proportions of repeat treatment admissions (data not shown). Some 57 percent of White admissions were repeat admissions, as were 61 percent of Black admissions (data not shown). Puerto Rican admissions had the highest percentage of readmissions among all racial/ethnic groups, with 71 percent reporting prior treatment. The lowest proportions of readmissions were among Mexicans (52 percent) and Asian and Pacific Islanders (45 percent). Socioeconomic Characteristics TEDS includes a Minimum Data Set collected by all States and a Supplemental Data Set collected by some States. Most socioeconomic characteristics are Supplemental Data Set items. Percentages in this section of the report are based on admissions of those aged 20 years or older in States where the 1999 item response rate was at least 75 percent. Admissions of those younger than age 20 were excluded because their economic characteristics reflected their dependent status. Admissions with 5 or more prior treatment episodes were more likely not to be part of the labor force2 (54 percent) than were new admissions (32 percent) (Figure 1). Only 20 percent of admissions with 5 or more prior treatment episodes were employed full- or part-time compared with 44 percent of new admissions. Those admitted with 5 or more prior treatment episodes were less likely to report wages or salary as their primary source of income3 (22 percent) than were new admissions (49 percent) (Figure 2). They were also more likely to report receiving public assistance (17 percent compared with 8 percent of first-time admissions).
The proportion of homeless4 admissions was greater among those with 5 or more prior treatment episodes (24 percent compared with 8 percent of first-time admissions) (Figure 3). About two-thirds of all admissions had no health insurance5 (Figure 4). Admissions with 5 or more prior treatment episodes were more likely to be covered by Medicaid (26 percent) than were first-time admissions (9 percent). Those admitted with 5 or more prior treatment episodes were less likely to be married6 (13 percent) than were new admissions (24 percent) or admissions with 1 to 4 prior treatment episodes (19 percent) (data not shown).
Psychiatric Problems Admissions with 5 or more prior treatment episodes were more likely to have a psychiatric problem7 in addition to a substance abuse problem (26 percent) than were new admissions (12 percent) or admissions with 1 to 4 previous admissions (17 percent) (data not shown). End Notes 1 Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (2002, April 26). The DASIS Report. New and Repeat Admissions to Substance Abuse Treatment. Rockville, MD: Author. 2Employment status is a Minimum Data Set item. 3Primary source of income is a Supplemental Data Set item reported in 1999 by 24 States and jurisdictions, excluding AL, AR, AZ, CA, CO, CT, DC, IN, LA, MA, MD, MI, MT, NC, NE, NH, NJ, NM, OK, OR, TN, VA, VT, WA, WI, WV, and WY. 4 Living arrangements is a Supplemental Data Set item reported in 1999 by 41 States and jurisdictions, excluding AR, CA, CT, MT, NC, NM, PA, WV, WI, and WY. 5 Health insurance is a Supplemental Data Set item reported in 1999 by 32 States and jurisdictions, excluding AL, CA, IA, LA, ME, MN, NC, NM, NY, OH, OK, RI, SD, TN, VA, VT, WA, WI, and WY. 6 Marital status is a Supplemental Data Set item reported in 1999 by 42 States and jurisdictions, excluding CA, CT, GA, MT, NM, UT, VA, VT, and WI. 7Psychiatric problems in addition to the substance abuse problem is a Supplemental Data Set item reported in 1999 by 24 States and jurisdictions, excluding AK, AL, AR, AZ, CT, FL, HI, IL, IN, MI, MN, MT, NC, NE, NM, OH, OR, PA, SD, TX, UT, VA, VT, WA, WI, WV, and WY. |
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The DASIS Report is published periodically by the Office of Applied Studies, Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA). All material appearing in this report is in the public domain and may be reproduced or copied without permission from SAMHSA. Additional copies of this report may be downloaded from http://www.oas.samhsa.gov/facts.cfm. Citation of the source is appreciated. Other reports from the Office of Applied Studies are also available on-line at the OAS home page: http://www.oas.samhsa.gov. |
This page was last updated on December 31, 2008. |
SAMHSA, an agency in the Department of Health and Human Services, is the Federal Government's lead agency for improving the quality and availability of substance abuse prevention, addiction treatment, and mental health services in the United States.
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