DRUG-USE DISORDERS AND TREATMENT CONTACT AMONG HOMELESS ADULTS IN ALAMEDA COUNTY, CALIFORNIA

Objectives. This study estimates the extent and distribution of specif ic drugs problems among homeless adults. Methods. A countywide probabi lity sample of 564 homeless adults received structured interviews that included a standardized assessment of substance use disorders. Result s. Two thirds of the sample (69.1%) had a lifetime history of a substa nce use disorder (including abuse of or dependence on alcohol [52.6%] or drugs [52.2%]): half had a current (52.4%) substance use disorder ( including alcohol [38.8%] or drugs [31.3%]). Current drug disorders we re higher among respondents who were younger, homeless longer, or samp led from the city of Oakland, Calif. Alcohol use disorders were higher among men than among women surprisingly, drug use disorders were not. Conclusion. Rates of current drug use disorders for homeless adults w ere more than eight times higher than general population estimates, Ho wever, estimates of drug problems among homeless adults vary as a func tion of case ascertainment and sampling strategy, Estimates based only on samples from urban areas may overestimate drug problems among the area's larger homeless populations.