Substance abuse problem severity among rural and urban female DUI offenders.
OBJECTIVE
Although there has been an overall decline in the rates of driving under the influence (DUI) over the past two decades, this decrease has not occurred uniformly across all groups of DUI offenders. For example, the proportion of female DUI offenders has significantly increased. Furthermore, DUI arrest rates remain higher in less populated areas of the country. The present study examines indicators of problem severity among female DUI offenders across graduated levels of rurality.


METHODS
A total of 19,094 substance abuse assessment records from females convicted of DUI between 2002 and 2006 in Kentucky were examined. Beale codes were used to define the extent to which the county of conviction was rural.


RESULTS
Rurality was significantly and positively associated with multiple DUI offenses, being underage, drug problems, prevalence of DSM-IV-TR substance dependence and abuse criteria, being referred to substance abuse treatment rather than an education only intervention, and referral noncompliance. Blood alcohol concentration and alcohol problems were inversely related to rurality.


CONCLUSIONS
The study suggests that problem severity among female DUI offenders may be greater in rural areas and could produce challenges for practitioners who assess and treat rural female DUI offenders.
Webster
J Matthew
JM
Center on Drug and Alcohol Research, University of Kentucky, Lexington, Kentucky, USA. matt.webster@uky.edu
Pimentel
Jody H
JH
Harp
Kathi L H
KL
Clark
David B
DB
Staton-Tindall
Michele
M
D000328:Adult; D000428:Alcohol Drinking / Q000009:adverse effects*; D001334:Automobile Driving; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007629:Kentucky / Q000453:epidemiology; D012424:Rural Population / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D019966:Substance-Related Disorders / Q000453:epidemiology*; D014505:Urban Population / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*