NCJ Number
202891
Journal
Substance Use & Misuse Volume: 38 Issue: 11-13 Dated: September/November 2003 Pages: 1807-1829
Date Published
September 2003
Length
23 pages
Annotation
This article reports on a study about substance abuse treatment outcomes for women substance abusers in Baltimore, MD.
Abstract
In 1997, the City of Baltimore committed city funding to enhance its 16 under-funded public substance abuse treatment centers. Between 1998 and 1999, the city conducted an evaluation study of its substance abuse treatment centers in an effort to show the effectiveness of its programs. This article presents findings about the 459 women substance abusers who participated in the study. The female participants entered one of the publicly funded substance abuser treatment centers during 1998 through 1999 and were evaluated at four times: intake, 30 days following treatment, 6 months following treatment, and 12 months following treatment. A comprehensive psychological battery was administered at each evaluation and the women’s treatment outcomes were assessed using the seven domains of the addiction severity index (ASI): alcohol, drug, medical, legal, employment, family, and psychological. Results of SPSS statistical analyses revealed significant improvements in six of the seven domains; no statistically significant effects were found for the medical domain. The benefits of treatment were most marked 30 days following treatment. Related problems were found to have improved after treatment as well, problems involving mental health, employment, family, and legal issues. The results are discussed in terms of the specific treatment needs of women substance abusers. Tables, figures, references