Young adult Ecstasy users who forego necessary medical care: a fairly common occurrence with important health implications.
This study examines the practice of foregoing necessary medical care in a population of young adult Ecstasy users. The objectives are to (1) investigate how the failure to receive needed medical care is related to drug-related outcomes, and (2) identify factors that are associated with receiving versus foregoing needed medical care. Face-to-face, computer-assisted, structured interviews were conducted with 283 active young adult Ecstasy users in Atlanta, Georgia between August 2002 and October 2007. Study participants were recruited using a targeted sampling approach. Results indicated that almost one-third of the young adult Ecstasy users interviewed did not receive the medical care that they needed during the preceding year. Foregoing such care was associated with a variety of adverse drug-related outcomes, including experiencing a greater number of negative effects from using Ecstasy, experiencing a larger number of drug dependency symptoms, a greater likelihood of ever having binged on Ecstasy, and a greater likelihood of being classified as a "high end" polydrug abuser. Several factors were found to be associated with a greater tendency not to receive the medical care they needed, including race (not being African American), educational attainment (having completed at least high school), self-identification as belonging to the lowest socioeconomic status grouping, low self-esteem, and having experienced sexual abuse during one's formative years.
Elifson
Kirk W
KW
Department of Behavioral Sciences and Health Education, Rollins School of Public Health, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, USA.
Klein
Hugh
H
Sterk
Claire E
CE
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D019969:Amphetamine-Related Disorders / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000523:psychology*; D001244:Association; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D005845:Georgia / Q000453:epidemiology; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D018817:N-Methyl-3,4-methylenedioxyamphetamine / Q000009:adverse effects*; D010342:Patient Acceptance of Health Care; D011569:Psychiatric Status Rating Scales; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012307:Risk Factors; D055815:Young Adult
D018817:N-Methyl-3,4-methylenedioxyamphetamine
J Psychoactive Drugs. 2006 Mar;38(1):31-4
16681173
Mt Sinai J Med. 2008 Jan-Feb;75(1):37-43
18306248
J Acquir Immune Defic Syndr. 2007 Nov 1;46 Suppl 2:S120-6
18089981
Lancet Oncol. 2008 Mar;9(3):222-31
18282806
J Urban Health. 2006 Sep;83(5):884-95
16937088
J Psychoactive Drugs. 2007 Nov;Suppl 4:401-5
18284105
Child Abuse Negl. 2007 Jan;31(1):39-53
17207853
Womens Health Issues. 2006 Nov-Dec;16(6):297-312
17188213
Am J Psychiatry. 2004 Jul;161(7):1181-9
15229049
Am J Drug Alcohol Abuse. 2008;34(3):339-45
18428076
Women Health. 2008;48(2):167-88
19042215
Suicide Life Threat Behav. 2007 Aug;37(4):467-74
17896886
Am J Health Behav. 2006 May-Jun;30(3):322-33
16712446
Psychopharmacology (Berl). 2005 Aug;180(4):607-11
15372137
J Psychoactive Drugs. 2010 Dec;42(4):447-56
21305909
Pediatr Clin North Am. 2002 Apr;49(2):415-33
11993291
Dermatology. 1998;197(2):171-3
9732169
Psychiatr Serv. 2008 Apr;59(4):429-32
18378843
Bipolar Disord. 2007 Aug;9(5):490-5
17680919
Subst Use Misuse. 2007;42(2-3):199-224
17558927
Hum Psychopharmacol. 2001 Dec;16(8):579-588
12404537
J Adolesc Health. 2008 Mar;42(3):266-74
18295135
J Child Sex Abus. 2001;10(3):75-90
17522001
J Health Care Poor Underserved. 2005 Nov;16(4 Suppl A):22-30
16327094
Md Med J. 1999 Jan-Feb;48(1):26-32
10048282
Am J Addict. 2007 Nov-Dec;16(6):431-8
18058406
Harv Rev Psychiatry. 2002 Jul-Aug;10(4):212-20
12119307
Child Abuse Negl. 2003 Aug;27(8):967-84
12951144
J Gen Intern Med. 2005 Jul;20(7):578-83
16050850
Int J Drug Policy. 2009 Jan;20(1):62-9
18068967
Br J Health Psychol. 2007 Sep;12(Pt 3):439-62
17640455
Patient Educ Couns. 2001 Feb;42(2):145-57
11118780
J Fam Pract. 2002 Oct;51(10):827-31
12401150
Adv Data. 2007 Jun 29;(389):1-34
17784724
BMC Health Serv Res. 2007 Mar 09;7:40
17349050
Prev Chronic Dis. 2006 Jul;3(3):A104
16776865
Prev Med. 2008 May;46(5):463-9
18207563
J Health Psychol. 2002 May;7(3):233-41
22114247
Hum Psychopharmacol. 2003 Oct;18(7):507-17
14533132
J Drug Educ. 2004;34(1):41-59
15468747
Acta Psychiatr Scand. 2005 Jan;111(1):51-8
15636594
J Subst Abuse Treat. 2007 Jul;33(1):51-9
17588489
J Pers Assess. 2007 Apr;88(2):246-9
17437388
J Womens Health (Larchmt). 2007 Dec;16(10):1485-98
18062764
J Natl Med Assoc. 2006 May;98(5):674-82
16749640
Am J Health Promot. 2004 May-Jun;18(5):370-7
15163138
J Gerontol B Psychol Sci Soc Sci. 2006 Nov;61(6):S299-306
17114309
J Psychoactive Drugs. 2002 Oct-Dec;34(4):347-54
12562102