WOMEN AND MINORITIES REPRESENTATION IN ALCOHOLISM-TREATMENT RESEARCH

Demographic and clinical information and referral outcome were systema tically collected from 347 alcoholics who telephoned to inquire about treatment on alcoholism clinical research protocols over a 1-year peri od. The ratio of male to female callers was 7:3, with 2:1 scheduling a ppointments, 3:2 keeping appointments, and 3:2 actually enrolling in a treatment study. These data indicate that although a smaller ratio of female alcoholics initially called for treatment, those who did call were more likely to actually enter treatment than were male callers. A ratio of 2:1 non-minority to minority alcoholics called the clinic, w ith 7:3 scheduling appointments, 8:1.6 keeping appointments, and 8:1 a ctually entering the study. These data suggest that minority alcoholic s were less likely than non-minority alcoholics to enter treatment pro tocols. However, discriminant function analysis found income to be a b etter predictor of entry into treatment than race, age, or gender, and analysis of covariance found non-minorities and minorities did not di ffer in rate of entry into treatment when income was used as covariate .