Work

Meeting the Needs of Lesbian, Gay, and Bisexual Clients in Substance Abuse Treatment.

Year: 2016

Type: article

Abstract: -1541 Meeting the Needs of Lesbian, Gay, and Bisexual Clients in Substance Abuse Treatment Annesa Flentje, PhD, Nicholas A. Livingston, MA, 8: Iames L. Sorensen, PhD Rates of substance misuse and dis- order remain much higher among lesbian, gay, and bisexual (LGB) indi- viduals relative to heterosexual individ- uals (McCabe, Hughes, Bostvvick, West, 8: Boyd, 2009). LGB individuals also ex- perience higher rates of minority-based mistreatment, such as discrimination and victimization, compared to het- erosexual individuals. Discrimination (McCabe, Bostwick, Hughes, West, & Boyd, 2010) and victimization (Hughes, McCabe, Wilsnack, West, & Boyd, 2010) have been shown to be related to higher rates of substance use among LGB individuals and may account for the poorer physical health outcomes ob- served among LGB individuals (Dilley, Simmons, Boysun, Pizacani, 8: Stark, 2010). While substance abuse treatment remains an important tactic for reducing substance use and related impairment, it is important to consider factors that could impact whether or not LGB individuals beneﬁt from these services. For instance, LGB individuals may encounter negative LGB bias from providers within substance abuse treatment settings (Cochran, Peavy, 8: Cauce, 2007). They may also seek out services at a treatment center advertising LGB specific services, only to find that no such services exist (Cochran, Peavy, & Robohm, 2007). LGB individuals are also less likely to carry adequate health care coverage relative to heterosexual individuals (Buchmueller 8: Carpenter, 2010), which may serve as a barrier to accessing treatment or following treatment m Counselor-June 2016 recommendations for extended Cara: services. Despite these potential barriers. studies have shown that LGB individuals are more likely to seek substance abuse treatment compared to heterosexual individuals (McCabe, West, Hughes, & Boyd, 2013). Past research also indicates that LGB individuals seeking substance use treatment have higher rates of co- occurring mental health diagnoses (Lipsky et al., 2012), greater substance use severity, and greater past-year use of medical services when compared to heterosexual individuals (Cochran 8: Cauce, 2006). Programs and providers can provide better services for LGB individuals if they are more aware of the specific mental and physical health needs of LGB individuals seeking substance use treatment, and understand best practices when it comes to meeting the needs of LGB clients. Thus, further work is needed to understand the unique health care needs of LGB individuals seeking substance use treatment. So far this research had been limited to tire state of Washington, where sexual orientation data was collected as part of state database requirements (Cochran 8: Cauce, 2006). I'heSEy The goal of our study was to identify differences in mental and physical health care needs between LGB and heterosexual individuals in substance abuse treatment. We did so by examining records collected within a publicly-funded substance abuse . ;.-ment system in San Francisco, ,2 t . iomia. Based on previous research, we expected that LGB individuals would have higher rates of mental and physical health problems, and would be using mental and physical health services at greater rates than heterosexual individuals. Data for this study were released to us by the Department of Public Health in the County of San Francisco. We used deidentiﬁed patient admission and discharge information for patients served between 2007-2009 from all substance abuse treatment programs in the county that received any government funding. A single treatment episode was selected for each patient, and could include multiple types of treatment including residential, detox or outpatient treatment. Clients included in the current study were those who provided information regarding sex (i.e., male or female) and sexual orientation. People who reported transgender identity were not included in this study, though data on transgender individuals are reported in a separate study (Flentie. Heck, & Sorensen, 2014). We examined the substance use patterns of the LGB individuals within this same sample in Flentje, Heck, & Sorensen (2015), as well as in the original article where we published the results reported here. Substance abuse treatment programs provided client admission data to the County of San Francisco where it was compiled. Upon admission. clients entering substance abuse treatment were asked about substance use-

Source: PubMed

Authors: Annesa Flentje, Nicholas A Livingston, James L Sorensen

Institutions: University of California, San Francisco, University of Montana

Language: English

Topic: LGBTQ Health, Identity, and Policy

Subfield: Social Psychology

Field: Psychology

Domain: Social Sciences

SDGs: Good health and well-being, Reduced inequalities

Open Access status: green

Funder: National Institute on Drug Abuse

Awards: Gene expression outcomes in interventions for substance using HIV+ minority men, Western States Node of the National Drug Abuse Treatment Clinical Trials Network, Treatment for Complex Patients: Continuing and Extended Care, Substance Use Disorders Treatment/Services Research Training Program, Western States Node of the National Drug Abuse Treatment Clinical Trials Network