Alcohol and Homeless Women's Use of Health Services

描述(申请人提供)：酗酒/依赖和身体状况 健康问题在无家可归的人和他们的普通人中很常见 医疗保健需求往往得不到满足。然而，现有的许多研究都是 基于主要由无家可归者组成的样本。迄今为止，已经有了 没有以人群为基础的研究酒精滥用/依赖之间的联系 和在无家可归妇女中利用一般保健服务。这项研究将 使用辅助数据来分析酒精与酒精之间的联系 滥用/依赖和使用一般保健服务(住院、门诊和 预防性)在以社区为基础的974名无家可归妇女的概率样本中 洛杉矶县。我们将找出那些似乎阻碍或 促进终身无家可归妇女利用一般保健服务 酗酒/依赖。拟议的研究直接涉及政策 NIAAA卫生服务研究议程中突出的问题和 特殊人群，包括妇女、少数群体和暴力受害者。 首先，大多数无家可归的妇女是少数族裔群体的成员 并一直是暴力的受害者。其次，无家可归的女性可能会有 需要一般医疗保健的多种健康问题。因为无家可归者 女性可能会认为这样的问题比酒精问题更重要， 有效地获得一般保健服务可促进利用和 在酒精治疗方面也取得了成功。这项研究将检验假设 关于广泛的诱因和促成因素(如案件 管理、医疗保险和获得公共福利)可能 与无家可归的妇女获得一般保健服务有关 酒精问题。通过记录健康问题的性质和程度 影响到酗酒的无家可归妇女，影响到她们对一般卫生服务的使用， 以及他们对护理的需求得不到满足的程度，这项研究将告诉我们 酒精治疗提供者对筛查/评估的价值和内容 他们可能采用的程序以及为其提供的一般健康服务的类型 需要哪种更有效的联系。

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): Alcohol abuse/dependence and physical health problems are quite common among the homeless and their general health-care needs often go unmet. However, much of the existing research is based on samples comprised largely of homeless men. To date, there has been no population-based study of the association between alcohol abuse/dependence and utilization of general health care among homeless women. This study will employ secondary data to analyze the association between alcohol abuse/dependence and use of general health care (inpatient, ambulatory, and preventive) in a community-based probability sample of 974 homeless women in Los Angeles County. We will identify factors that appear to impede or facilitate the use of general health care among homeless women with lifetime alcohol abuse/ dependence. The proposed study directly addresses policy questions prominent in NIAAA's agenda for research on health services and special populations including women, minorities, and victims of violence. First, the majority of homeless women are members of ethnic minority groups and have been victims of violence. Second, homeless women are likely to have multiple health problems requiring general health care. Because homeless women may view such problems as more important than alcohol problems, effective access to general health services may facilitate utilization of and success in alcohol treatment as well. This study will test hypotheses regarding a wide range of predisposing and enabling factors (such as case management, health insurance, and access to public benefits) potentially associated with access to general health services by homeless women with alcohol problems. By documenting the nature and extent of health problems affecting alcohol-using homeless women, their use of general health services, and the extent to which their need for care goes unmet, this study will inform alcohol treatment providers on the value and content of screening/assessment procedures they might employ and the types of general health services for which more effective linkage is needed.