CORRELATES OF PROBLEM DRINKING AMONG DRUG-USING INCARCERATED WOMEN

The association between drug use - regular use of crack cocaine or her oin - and problem drinking was examined in a sample of 159 sentenced w omen at Rikers Island correctional facility in New York City. Using lo gistic regression, this study tested the association between drug use and alcohol use, controlling for psychosocial variables (sexual abuse history, negative and positive coping skills, and depression), familia l drug use (number of family members currently abusing drugs, and thos e currently abusing alcohol), and demographic variables and criminal h istory. The association between current, regular crack use and problem drinking approached significance in the final model, which adjusted f or criminal behavior, demographic, familial abuse, and psychosocial va riables. The results of this study point toward childhood sexual abuse , negative coping skills, and familial alcohol abuse as variables rela ted to problem drinking among incarcerated women.