Health Care Need and Utilization: A Preliminary Comparison of Injection Drug Users, Other Illicit Drug Users, and Nonusers

Abstract

This paper investigates the relationship between chronic drug use and the health care system. Data from 536 African-American, Hispanic, and non-Hispanic White men and women were analyzed to determine independent risk factors for three outcome variables: 1) Need for health care treatment, 2) Utilization of health care treatment, and 3) Failure to receive needed treatment. Nine independent demographic, health, and drug-use history variables were assessed in logistic regression models. Chronic drug users were more likely in the past year to need health care treatment, were as likely to receive some health care treatment, and were more likely not to receive needed treatment than were nonusers.