NCJ Number
213570
Date Published
January 2006
Length
10 pages
Annotation
This report presents the findings of two national surveys (2005) designed to examine the impact of methamphetamine abuse on the Nation’s health services: “The Effect of Meth on Hospital Emergency Rooms” and “The Challenges of Treating Meth Abuse.”
Abstract
Administered by the National Association of Counties, the first survey received responses from 200 hospital emergency room officials in 39 States. According to 47 percent of respondents, methamphetamine-related emergency room visits were more common than any other drug-related visit during the past 5 years. Moreover, 83 percent of methamphetamine patients have no medical insurance, causing 56 percent of hospitals to incur increased costs. The second survey questioned 200 behavioral health directors in 26 States and the District of Columbia regarding their drug treatment programs and how they have been impacted by the methamphetamine epidemic. Results indicated that 69 percent of respondents have experienced an increase in the need for substance abuse programming due to the growing abuse of methamphetamine. Compounding the problem is the fact that methamphetamine users require special treatment protocols and longer treatment periods than other types of drug abusers; 63 percent of respondents reported not having the capacity to treat methamphetamine addicts. Tables