Specialty Substance Research Articles

Substance Use among Nurses: Differences between Specialties

Objectives: Valid data on factors that increase a health care worker's likelihood of substance use are integral in ensuring professional standards and quality health care for consumers. This study explored the association between nursing specialty and past-year substance use.Methods: In an anonymous mailed survey, a balanced stratified sample of registered nurses (n = 4438) reported their use of marijuana, cocaine, and prescription-type drugs, as well as cigarette smoking and binge drinking.Results: Prevalence of use of all substances was 32%. Rates varied by specialty, even when sociodemographics were controlled. Compared with nurses in women's health, pediatrics, and general practice, emergency nurses were 3.5 times as likely to use marijuana or cocaine (odds ratio [OR] = 3.5; 95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.5, 8.2); oncology and administration nurses were twice as likely to engage in binge drinking, and psychiatric nurses were most likely to smoke (OR = 2.4: 95% CI = 1.6, 3.8). No specialty difference...

State variations in public and private alcoholism treatment at specialty substance abuse treatment facilities.

This article reports characteristics of state specialty alcoholism treatment systems estimated from the 1989 National Drug and Alcohol Treatment Unit Survey (Ndatus). Ndatus is adjusted to correct for item nonresponse and differential unit nonresponse across states. We estimate that $3.8 billion was spent nationally on specialty alcoholism treatment in 1989. Per capita funding ranged from $52 in Alaska to $6 in Mississippi. Clients in treatment per capita and funding per client-day each varied more than 10-fold across states. Comparison of treatment system measures with indicators of the need for alcoholism treatment showed little systematic relationship across states.