Open AccessRace/Ethnicity, Community of Residence, and DUI Arrest After Beginning Treatment for an Alcohol Use Disorder
Author(s) -
Jennifer Miles,
Andrea Acevedo,
Lee Panas,
Grant Ritter,
Kevin Campbell,
Michelle Delk
Publication year - 2019
Publication title -
journal of behavioral health services and research/the journal of behavioral health services and research
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.713
H-Index - 55
eISSN - 1556-3308
pISSN - 1094-3412
DOI - 10.1007/s11414-019-09672-6
Subject(s) - ethnic group , health psychology , driving under the influence , disadvantage , medicine , residence , criminal justice , poison control , race (biology) , law enforcement , public health , injury prevention , psychiatry , gerontology , psychology , demography , environmental health , criminology , sociology , political science , gender studies , nursing , law , anthropology
The purpose of this study was to examine whether racial/ethnic disparities in post-treatment arrests for driving under the influence (DUI) exist among clients receiving outpatient treatment for an alcohol use disorder (AUD) and to assess whether community characteristics were associated with this outcome. The sample included adults with an AUD entering publicly funded outpatient treatment in Washington State in 2012. Treatment data were linked with criminal justice and US Census data. Multilevel time-to-event analysis was employed to answer the research questions. Key independent variables included client race/ethnicity, community-level economic disadvantage, and racial/ethnic composition of the community. Latino clients and clients residing in communities with a higher proportion of Black residents had higher hazards of a DUI arrest post-treatment admission. Future research should examine whether disparities in DUI arrests are related to differences in treatment effectiveness or other factors (e.g., inequities in law enforcement) so that these disparities can be addressed.