Behavioral and psychological profiles of cocaine users upon treatment entry: ethnic comparisons

FRANÇAIS :
Etude descriptive portant sur 112 usagers réguliers de cocaïne récemment admis dans un programme de traitement hospitalier ou ambulatoire. L'hypothèse du changement de mode de vie, postulant une dégradation de l'état de santé liée à l'augmentation de la dépendance, est examinée sur cette population composée de Blancs, d'Hispaniques et de Noirs. Les usagers chroniques dépendants, comparativement aux usagers épisodiques non dépendants, montrent de sévères changements des mesures comportementale, psychologique et psychiatrique de l'état de santé. L'étude explore, également, les différences des mesures d'état de santé liées à l'acculturation pour les Hispaniques et à la classe sociale pour les Noirs.
ENGLISH :
This descriptive study examined the health-related profile of 112 regular users of cocaine who were recently admitted to an inpatient or to an outpatient drug treatment program. The health profile of these addicted cocaine users was examined in terms of behavioral, psychological and psychiatric measures of health. A lifestyle shift hypothesis was examined in these addicted cocaine users postulating illness progression with greater levels of addiction, a progression manifested by greater severity of dysfunction across several areas of life function. In support of this hypothesis, addicted chronic cocaine users, when compared with episodic, nonaddicted users, exhibited a remarkable unhealthy shift in lifestyle on several lifestyle measures. Analyses of these health profiles when stratified by ethnicity (Black, Hispanic, and non-Hispanic White) revealed similar patterns of deviation from normalcy in all groups, although the Hispanics exhibited the greatest unhealthy deviations. Further analyses of the hispanic group by acculturation status indicated that lower acculturation was associated with a worse health status. (Extract from author's abstract)