Alcohol and Homeless Women's Use of Health Services

描述（由申请人提供）：酒精滥用/依赖和身体 健康问题在无家可归者和他们的一般 保健需求往往得不到满足。 然而，现有的许多研究 主要是基于无家可归的男人 迄今为止， 没有基于人群的研究酒精滥用/依赖之间的关联 以及无家可归妇女对一般保健服务的利用情况。 本研究将 使用二手数据分析酒精与 滥用/依赖和使用一般卫生保健（住院、门诊和 预防性）在一个以社区为基础的概率样本的974无家可归的妇女， 洛杉矶县。 我们将确定似乎阻碍或 为无家可归的妇女利用一般保健提供便利， 酒精滥用/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， 特殊群体，包括妇女、少数民族和暴力受害者。 首先，无家可归的妇女大多数是少数民族群体的成员 也是暴力的受害者其次，无家可归的妇女很可能有 需要一般保健的多种健康问题。 因为无家可归 女性可能认为这些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 酒精治疗也是如此。 这项研究将测试假设 关于广泛的诱发和促成因素（例如， 管理、医疗保险和获得公共福利） 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 影响酗酒的无家可归妇女，她们对一般保健服务的利用， 以及他们对护理的需求未得到满足的程度，这项研究将提供信息， 酒精治疗提供者对筛查/评估的价值和内容的认识 他们可能采用的程序和一般卫生服务的类型， 需要哪种更有效的连接。

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.