A COMPARATIVE-ANALYSIS OF DRUG-USING WOMEN WITH AND WITHOUT TREATMENT HISTORIES IN NEW-YORK-CITY

Treatment histories of 459 drug-using women in New York City were examined to determine if there were any differences between women who have ever entered a treatment program and those who have not. Both bivariate and regression procedures were employed. The bivariate analysis revealed that the two groups of women differed significantly with regard to age, race, having children, age at which they began their drug-using careers, and the number of lifetime arrests. Controlling for all other variables in the regression analysis, only three variables significantly contribute to the likelihood of entering treatment: age, age at which regular drug use began, and the number of lifetime arrests. Implications of these findings for targeting younger women for treatment intervention are discussed.