DESIRE FOR HELP AMONG DRUG-USING MEXICAN-AMERICAN ARRESTEES

In a sample of 88 drug-using Mexican-American arrestees, we examined d emographic factors, drug-problem severity indicators, and personal and social resources as correlates of self-reported desire for help with problems related to drug use. Ethnicity-related attitudes, perceptions , and experiences were among the factors tested. Among 35 potential co rrelates in this dataset, recognition of drug-related interpersonal pr oblems was the sole significant correlate of desire for help in a mult ivariate regression analysis. This finding was interpreted in comparis on to previously identified correlates of Mexican-American drug users' desire for help specifically in the form of drug user treatment. We d erive implications regarding drug-use-associated problem recognition a nd other potential determinants of help-seeking and success in drug us er treatment among Mexican-American drug users.