Abstract
This article examines factors associated with adolescents receiving treatment for drug-related problems. Data on adolescents (aged 12–17) from the 1995 and 1996 National Household Survey on Drug Abuse (NHSDA,N=9133) were used. Information was obtained concerning adolescent drug use, smoking, drinking and related problems, as well as sociodemographics. Many adolescents with drug-related problems did not receive treatment. Among predisposing factors, gender and age were associated with drug treatment. Severity of drug problems and comorbid emotional and health problems also predicted seeking treatment. The results call for an improved service delivery system. Screening for drug problems in primary care settings, at school, and in mental health programs will help in the early identification and treatment of drug use disorders in youth.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Johnston LD, O'Malley PM, Bachman JG.National Survey Results on Drug Use from The Monitoring the Future Study, 1975–1997, Vol. 1: Secondary School Students. Rockville, Md: National Institute on Drug Abuse; 1998.
Substance and Mental Health Services Administration.National Household Survey On Drug Abuse: Main Findings 1996. Rockville, Md: Office of Applied Studies, SAMHSA; 1998.
Longshore D, Hsieh S, Anglin MD, et al. Ethnic patterns in drug abuse treatment utilization.The Journal of Mental Health Administration. 1992;19:268–277.
Narrow WE, Regier DA, Rae DS, Use of services by persons with mental and addictive disorders: findings from the National Institute of Mental Health Epidemiologic Catchment Area Program.Archives of General Psychiatry. 1993;50:95–107.
Regier DA, Narrow WE, Rae DS, et al. The de facto US mental and addictive disorders service system: Epidemiologic Catchment prospective 1-year prevalence rates of disorders and services.Archives of General Psychiatry. 1993;50:85–94.
Beckman LJ, Amaro H. Personal and social difficulties faced by women and men entering alcoholism treatment.Journal of Studies on Alcohol. 1986;47:135–145.
Grant BF. Toward an alcohol treatment model: A comparison of treated and untreated respondents with DSM-IV alcohol use disorders in the general population.Alcoholism: Clinical and Experimental Research. 1996;20:372–378.
Grant BF. Barriers to alcoholism treatment: reasons for not seeking treatment in a general population sample.Journal of Studies on Alcohol. 1997;58:365–371.
Hser Y, Maglione M, Polinsky ML, Anglin MD. Predicting drug treatment entry among treatment-seeking individuals.Journal of Substance Abuse Treatment. 1998;15(3):213–220.
Anglin MD, Hser Y, Booth MW. Sex differences in addict careers, IV: Treatment.American Journal of Drug Alcohol Abuse. 1987;13(3):253–280
Thom B. Sex difference in help-seeking for alcohol problems, I: The barriers to help-seeking.British Journal of Addiction. 1986;81:777–788.
Weisner C. Toward an alcohol treatment entry model: a comparison of problem drinkers in the general population and in treatment.Alcoholism: Clinical and Experimental Research. 1993;17:746–752.
Weisner C. The epidemiology of combined alcohol and drug use within treatment agencies: a comparison by gender.Journal of Studies on Alcohol. 1993;54:268–273.
Weisner C, Greenfield T, Room R. Trends in the treatment of alcohol problems in the US general population, 1979 through 1990.American Journal of Public Health. 1995;85:55–60.
Wu P, Hoven CW, Fan B, et al. Need and use of services for drug related problems in the USA. Paper presented at: 9th International Congress of the World Federation of Public Health Associations; September 2000; Beijing, China.
Beschner GM, Friedman AS. Treatment of adolescent drug abusers.The International Journal of the Addiction. 1985;20:971–993.
Needle R, Brown P, Lavee Y, et al. Costs and consequences of drug use: a comparison of health care utilization and social-psychological consequences for clinical and nonclinical adolescents and their families.The International Journal of the Addictions. 1988;23:1125–1143.
Newcomb MD, Bentler PM. The impact of late adolescent substance use on young adult health status and utilization of health services: a structural equation model over four years.Social Science and Medicine. 1987;24:71–82.
Bukstein OG, Glancy LJ, Kaminer Y. Patterns of affective comorbidity in a clinical population of dually-diagnosed adolescent substance abusers.Journal of the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry. 1992;31:1041–1045.
DeMilio L. Psychiatric syndromes in adolescent substance abusers.American Journal of Psychiatry. 1989;146:1212–1214.
Kaminer Y.Adolescent Substance Abuse: A Comprehensive Guide to Theory and Practice. New York: Plenum; 1994.
Lavik NJ, Onstad S. Drug use and psychiatric symptoms in adolescents.Acta Psychiatrica Scandinavica. 1987;73:437–440.
Andersen RM. Revisiting the behavioral model and access to medical care: does it matter?Journal of Health and Social Behavior. 1995;36:1–10.
Andersen RM, Newman JF. Societal and individual determinants of medical care utilization in the United States.Milbank Quarterly. 1973;51:95–123.
Greenblatt JC. Adolescent self-reported behaviors and their association with marijuana use. In:Analyses of Substance Abuse and Treatment Need Issues. Rockville, Md: Office of Applied Studies, SAMHSA; 1998.
Achenbach TM.Manual for the Youth Self-Report and 1991 Profile. Burlington, VT: Department of Psychiatry, University of Vermont; 1991.
Shah BV, Barnwell BG, Bieler GS.SUDAAN User's Manual: Release 7.0. Research Triangle Park, NC: Research Triangle Institute; 1996.
Anglin MD, Hser YI, Grella CE. Drug addiction and treatment careers among clients in the Drug Abuse Treatment Outcome Study (DATOS).Psychology of Addictive Behaviors. 1997;11:308–323.
Scott JE. Alcoholism and alcohol abuse services research. In: Levin BL, Petrila J, eds.Mental Health Services: A Public Health Perspective. New York: Oxford University Press; 1996.
Gfroerer J, Brodsky M. Frequent cocaine users and their use of treatment.American Journal of Public Health. 1993;83:1149–1154.
Kessler RC, Nelson CB, McGonagle KA, et al. The epidemiology of co-occurring additive and mental disorders: implications for prevention and service utilization.American Journal of Orthopsychiatry. 1996;66:17–31.
Regier DA, Farmer ME, Rae DS, et al. Comorbidity of mental disorders with alcohol and other drug abuse: results from the Epidemiological Catchment Area (ECA) Study.JAMA. 1990;264:2511–2518.
Merikangas KR, Stevens DE, Fenton B, et al. Co-morbidity and familial aggregation of alcoholism and anxiety disorders.Psychological Medicine. 1998;28:773–788.
Wu P, Hoven CW, Bird HR, et al. Utilization of alcohol and drug treatment services in US adolescents. Paper presented at: 44th Annual Meeting of American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry; 1997; Toronto, Canada.
Cuffe SP, Waller JL, Cuccaro ML, et al. Race and gender differences in the treatment of psychiatric disorders in young adolescents.Journal of the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry. 1995;34:1536–1543.
Zahner GEP, Daskalakis MS. Factors associated with mental health, general health, and school-based service use for child psychopathology.American Journal of Public Health. 1997;87:1440–1448.
Helzer JE, Pryzbeck TR. The co-occurrence of alcoholism with other psychiatric disorders in the general population and its impact on treatment.Journal of Studies on Alcohol. 1988;49:219–224.
Wu P, Hoven CW, Bird HR, et al. Depressive and disruptive disorders and mental health service utilization in children and adolescents.Journal of the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry. 1999;38:1081–1090.
Kaminer Y. Adolescent substance abuse treatment: where do we go from here?Psychiatric Services. 2001;52:147.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Wu, P., Hoven, C.W. & Fuller, C.J. Factors associated with adolescents receiving drug treatment: Findings from the National Household Survey on Drug Abuse. The Journal of Behavioral Health Services & Research 30, 190–201 (2003). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02289807
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02289807