Health care need and utilization: A preliminary comparison of injection drug users, other illicit drug users, and nonusers

This paper investigates the relationship between chronic drug use and the h ealth care system. Data from 536 African-American, Hispanic, and non-Hispan ic White men and women were analyzed to determine independent risk factors for three outcome variables: 1) Need for health care treatment, 2) Utilizat ion of health care treatment, and 3) Failure to receive needed treatment. N ine independent demographic, health, and drug-use history variables were as sessed in logistic regression models. Chronic drug users were more likely i n the past year to need health care treatment, were as likely to receive so me health care treatment, and were more likely not to receive needed treatm ent than were nonusers.