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Perceiving Need for Drug Treatment: A Look at Eight Hypotheses

NCJ Number
151227
Author(s)
R Fiorentine; M D Anglin
Date Published
1993
Length
45 pages
Annotation
Data from the Drug Use Forecasting Program were used to examine eight hypotheses that predict the perceived need for drug treatment among drug-using arrestees.
Abstract
The Use-Severity hypothesis is that those with severe drug problems are more likely to perceive the need for drug treatment than are those with less severe drug problems. The Drug-Type hypothesis poses that equally severe use of different drugs could lead to different perceived need for drug treatment. The Treatment-Experience hypothesis suggests that previous treatment experience could influence the perceived need for treatment. The Gender Help-Seeking hypothesis suggests that with the same drug problems, women may be more likely than men to perceive a need for drug treatment. The Ethnic-Diversity hypothesis reasons that there could be ethnic differences in the types or level of drug use, the perception of what constitutes misuse, and the perceived appropriateness or efficacy of existing treatment services, which could produce differences in the perceived need for treatment. The Maturing-Out hypothesis poses that older drug users tire of their lifestyle and look favorably toward treatment to help them solve their drug problems. The Social-Isolation hypothesis suggests that socially isolated drug users are more likely to perceive the need for treatment compared to their more socially integrated counterparts. The final hypothesis, the AIDS-fear hypothesis, holds that drug users engaging in AIDS risk behaviors, such as needle sharing, are more likely to perceive the need for treatment. Findings support five of the eight hypotheses, namely those related to drug severity, drug type, prior treatment experience, ethnicity, and the fear of AIDS. There was no support for the gender-related help-seeking or the social-isolation hypotheses, and the findings contradict the maturing-out hypothesis. Policy implications are discussed. 63 references and 2 tables