INDIVIDUALS WITH A CHEMICAL-DEPENDENT FAMILY MEMBER - DOES THEIR HEALTH-CARE USE INCREASE

OBJECTIVE To examine health care utilization patterns of individuals w ho have a chemical-dependent family member (parent, spouse, or child). DESIGN Morbidity and health care utilization patterns were examined f or a 12-month period using the claims administrative data from the Alb erta Health Care Insurance Plan (AHCIP). SETTING General medical pract ice specializing in the treatment of addiction disorders. PARTICIPANTS Two hundred seventy-eight (73 male, 205 female) subjects were identif ied between 1987 and 1990. No members of the subject group were Native s, and none were dependent on chemicals during the study period. A con trol group, matched for age, sex, and family size, was randomly select ed from AHCIP records. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES Number and type of health care services and diagnoses listed in health care claims classified u sing the International Classification of Diseases. RESULTS In 91% of c ases, the chemical-dependent family member was male. Members of the su bject group presented more often with mental disorders, digestive syst em problems, obstetrical problems, injuries, and poorly defined condit ions. Also, they were more likely to have nonreferred visits, to have specialist visits, and to use laboratory services than population-matc hed controls. The subject group's use of specialists and laboratory se rvices amounted to twice the cost of the control group's use of these services. CONCLUSIONS Results show that individuals who have a chemica l-dependent family member use more health care services than the gener al population. Morbidity among the subject group appears to be similar to that among chemical-dependent individuals; diagnoses related to st ress and trauma are common.