Health care utilization in female African-American crack cocaine users
Health care utilization in female African-American crack cocaine users
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DOI：
10.1300/j013v34n01_06
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发表时间：
2001-01-01
期刊：
影响因子：
1.6
通讯作者：
Sterk, CE
中科院分区：
文献类型：
--
作者：
Kidder, DP;Elifson, KW;Sterk, CE
This study examined utilization of health care services by urban female African-American crack cocaine users recruited for a larger study developing HIV risk reduction interventions. Structured interviews were conducted with 149 women at a community-based field site. Nearly all women regularly sought health care during the past year, although only forty percent had any type of health insurance. Two-thirds had no regular primary care provider, with the highest percentage among women who did not have health insurance. Typically, women received care at public hospital outpatient clinics or emergency rooms and the most common care issues were female-related health issues and substance use. Many women reported having had routine exams such as general medical, pelvic, or pap smear in the past two years. However, fewer had dental, eye, or mammogram exams during that same time period, with many never having had such exams. Twenty-three percent of the women reported a lifetime diagnosis of a mental illness. Analyses by amount of crack use indicated that those who used most were least likely to be insured, and most likely to seek care at hospital emergency rooms. Multivariate analyses revealed that self-rated health and having a minor child predicted amount of health care received ill the past year. Many female African-American crack cocaine users are not receiving important health care exams and services. Steps must be taken to improve preventive and primary care to Female African-American crack cocaine users prior to the necessity of care in a more expensive hospital setting.
