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Need for Medical and Psychosocial Services Among Injection Drug Users: A Comparative Study of Needle Exchange and Methadone Maintenance
Author(s) -
Stein Michael D.,
Friedmann Peter
Publication year - 2002
Publication title -
the american journal on addictions
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.997
H-Index - 76
eISSN - 1521-0391
pISSN - 1055-0496
DOI - 10.1080/10550490290088063
Subject(s) - methadone maintenance , psychosocial , methadone , medicine , drug , mental health , heroin , psychiatry , family medicine
This study compares the prevalence of perceived and unmet needs of HIV‐negative injection drug users (IDUs) not receiving drug treatment (n = 251) and those recruited from a methadone maintenance program (n = 312) in 1998. We studied self‐reported needs for six community services: medical, mental health, housing, income assistance, alcohol treatment, and drug treatment. Respondents reported the highest levels of need for mental health and housing services. Ninety‐four percent of out‐of‐treatment IDUs reported having at least one need compared to 62% of methadone clients (p < .001). Across all reported service needs, at least 69% of respondents in both cohorts reported their needs were unmet. While HIV‐infected drug users receive assistance through the Ryan White CARE Act, these findings suggest that seronegative drug users may benefit from similar community service programs.