SUBSTANCE DISORDER AMONG 100 AMERICAN-INDIAN VERSUS 200 OTHER PATIENTS

The purpose of this study was to examine the demographic and clinical characteristics among American Indian (Al) patients and other patients with Psychoactive Substance Use Disorders (PSUD). The study was condu cted at a university-based, alcohol-drug program in the Upper Midwest. One hundred Al patients presenting sequentially with PSUD were contra sted with 200 other patients (selected at random from 620 patients) pr esenting at the same clinical facility during the same period with PSU D. Data included demographic characteristics, current DSM-III-R PSUD d iagnoses, previous treatment for PSUD, and family history of PSUD. Fin dings indicated several special aspects of PSUD among Al patients, whi ch have implications for program planning and treatment evaluation.