The prevalence and self-reported consequences of cocaine use: an exploratory and descriptive analysis

Abstract

In this study, prevalence rates for cocaine use were estimated by sex and race, as well as for selected social role and lifestyle characteristics, including educational level, marital status, living arrangements, job type and employment status. Prevalence rates were based on an estimation procedure that made the age-race-sex distributions balanced to that of the nation as a whole. Data were gathered from a multi-site probability sample of adults interviewed in 1981–1984 as part of the National Institute of Mental Health Epidemiologic Catchment Area Program (ECA) ( n = 14 333). In addition to prevalence of use, rates of self-reported consequences of cocaine use were generated, by level of cocaine use. Striking differences in prevalence were found by education and marital status, which remained after controlling for age of respondent. Respondents who were employed full-time had a higher prevalence of cocaine use than those who were not. Individuals residing in households at the time of interview had a 6.4% lifetime prevalence of cocaine use, vs. hospitalized respondents (22%) and incarcerated respondents (40%). Cocaine use consequence rates varied greatly across survey sites, with self-reported tolerance (28%–51%) and withdrawal sickness (8%–33%) figuring prominently among sustained daily users.