Medical outreach to homeless substance users in New York City: preliminary results.
An innovative, experimental, medical out-reach initiative, using a fully-equipped mobile medical van with a staff of 2 part-time physicians, a physician assistant, a social worker, and a driver/medical aid serving the needs of 1048, mostly male, minority group, high-level, homeless New York City substance users with infectious diseases is described. The study sample (N = 250) was divided into experimental S's who received Intensive case management and a control group who could choose to refer themselves to the SW. Biological tests revealed high rates of cocaine use and infectious diseases. Preliminary 4-month outcomes (N = 128) showed reductions in drug use, homelessness and health complaints in both groups; experimental subjects compared with controls received more Public Assistance and had fewer emergency room visits.
National Development and Research Institutes, Inc., NY, NY 10010, USA. andrew.rosenblum@ndri.org
Andrew
A
Rosenblum
Larry
L
Nuttbrock
Hunter
H
McQuistion
Steve
S
Magura
Herman
H
Joseph
D000437:Alcoholism / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000208:ethnology / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D019970:Cocaine-Related Disorders / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000208:ethnology / Q000534:rehabilitation; D003141:Communicable Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000208:ethnology / Q000534:rehabilitation; D003159:Community-Institutional Relations; D015897:Comorbidity; D016578:Crack Cocaine; D005260:Female; D006703:Ill-Housed Persons / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006801:Humans; D013287:Illicit Drugs; D008297:Male; D008913:Minority Groups / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D008952:Mobile Health Units; D010348:Patient Care Team; D011619:Psychotropic Drugs; D019966:Substance-Related Disorders / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000208:ethnology / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D014505:Urban Population / Q000706:statistics & numerical data
D016578:Crack Cocaine; D013287:Illicit Drugs; D011619:Psychotropic Drugs