Problem severity and symptomatology among substance misusers: differences between African-Americans and Caucasians.
Using data collected on 348 patients presenting to a hospital-based substance misuse treatment program, the present study compares psychiatric symptomatology and severity of substance misuse among African-American and Caucasian alcohol and drug misusers. African-Americans had a higher overall severity of substance misuse and reported using more substances than Caucasians. African-Americans also had higher levels of somatization, interpersonal problems, depression, hostility, obsessive/compulsive behavior, phobia, paranoia, and psychoticism than Caucasians. African-Americans exhibited higher levels of psychosocial stress and lower levels of global functioning than did Caucasians. The implications of the findings are discussed.
Pavkov
T W
TW
University of Chicago, Illinois.
McGovern
M P
MP
Geffner
E S
ES
D000328:Adult; D001741:Black or African American / Q000523:psychology*; D015897:Comorbidity; D004522:Educational Status; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D017533:Marital Status; D001523:Mental Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology*; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D019966:Substance-Related Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000208:ethnology; D014481:United States / Q000453:epidemiology; D044465:White People / Q000523:psychology*