Polydrug Abuse

Polydrug Abuse: The Results of a National Collaborative Study reports on the findings of a national study of polydrug users, initiated and organized by the Special Action Office of Drug Abuse Prevention.

This book provides a comprehensive demographic, sociological, psychological, and medical study of polydrug cases. The chapters in the text cover the varieties and classification of polydrug abusers; an estimation of the magnitude of polydrug abuse; certain central nervous system consequences to chronic drug use; and the impact of polydrug abuse on physicians and other deliverers of health care.

Physicians, epidemiologists, drug enforcers, and government policy makers will find the book interesting.

Contenu

List of Contributors

Foreword

Acknowledgments

Chapter I Introduction

An Overview of the Population Studied

Methods of Classifying Polydrug Abusers

Social Cost

Visability of the Patient Population

Part 1 Classification and Description of the Polydrug Users

Editors' Introduction

Chapter II Referral Sources and Outreach: Critical Variables in Understanding the Polydrug-Abusing Sample

Differential Psychosocial Characteristics

Related to Referral Source

Chapter III Nonpatient Polydrug Users

Method

Results

Discussion

Chapter IV Female Polydrug Abusers

Rationale Offered for Sex-Linked Differences in Drug Use Patterns

Data on Psychoactive Drug Use and Abuse

Subpopulations of Female Population

Discussion

Conclusions

Chapter V Two Typologies of Polydrug Abusers

Streetwise and Self-Medication Dimensions

Sex and Streetwise Orientation

Summary

Chapter VI An Empirical Typology of Multiple Drug Abusers

Method

Results

Discussion

Chapter VII Dimensions of Polydrug Abuse: An MMPI Study

Classes of Substance Abusers

Study Sample

Discussion

Part 2 Epidemiology

Editors' Introduction

Chapter VIII Incidence of First Use of Nonopiate Drugs: Inferences from Current Data

Sampling Problems: The Selectivity of Incidence Data

Interpretation of Incidence Data: Its Relationship to Drug Abuse

Empirical First-Use Data from Treatment Programs

Which Drugs are Most Abused?

Histories of Misuse: Temporal Sequences and Micro-Demographic Differences in Peak Onset

The Progression Hypothesis: Inferences from Incidence Analysis

Conclusions

A Definitive Incidence Study

Chapter IX Three National Estimates of Prevalence of Nonopiate Drug Abuse

The "Alcoholism" Method

Comparison Survey Method

Discussion

Part 3 Central Nervous System Consequences of Polydrug Abuse

Editors' Introduction

Chapter Neuropsychological Effects of Polydrug Abuse

Introduction

Method

Results

Three-Month Follow-Up Evaluation Results

Discussion

Chapter XI Neuropsychological Impairment and Psychopathology

Method

Literature Review

Results

Chapter XII Comparison of Results from Serially Collected Neuropsychological and EEG Data

Methodology

Results

Comparison of Halstead-Retain Data with that Obtained by Compressed Spectral Analysis of the EGG

Comment

Chapter XIII Sleep Patterns of Abusers During Titration and Withdrawal from Methaqualone or Secobarbital

Method

Results

Discussion

Part 4 Impact of Polydrug Abuse on Nondrug Abuse Health Delivery System

Editors' Introduction

Chapter XIV Physician Attitudes Concerning Drug Abuse Treatment

Some Field Observations

Physician Opinion Survey

Data Analysis

Therapeutic Pessimism Scale

Needs in Drug Abuse as Perceived by Physicians

Discussion and Summary

Chapter XV Response of Traditional Health Care Agencies to Nonopiate Abusers

Methodology

Results

Discussion

Part 5 Conclusions and Recommendations

Editors' Introduction

Chapter XVI Some Observations on Collaborative Data Management

Collaborative Research Projects

Sampling Considerations

The Collaborative Group Process

Step Funding

Data-Related Issues

The Importance of Record Design

The Master File

Master File Planning

The Data Flow

Statistical Packages and Data Exchange

In Closing

Chapter XVII Conclusions and Recommendations for Future Research

Subject Index