Citation

Miles J, Acevedo A, Panas L, Ritter G, Campbell K, Delk M. J. Behav. Health Serv. Res. 2019; ePub(ePub): ePub.

Affiliation

Department of Community Health, Tufts University, 574 Boston Avenue, Suite 208, Medford, MA, 02155, USA.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2019, Association of Behavioral Healthcare Management, Publisher Holtzbrinck Springer Nature Publishing Group)

DOI

10.1007/s11414-019-09672-6

PMID

31452026

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to examine whether racial/ethnic disparities in post-treatment arrests for driving under the influence (DUI) exist among clients receiving outpatient treatment for an alcohol use disorder (AUD) and to assess whether community characteristics were associated with this outcome. The sample included adults with an AUD entering publicly funded outpatient treatment in Washington State in 2012. Treatment data were linked with criminal justice and US Census data. Multilevel time-to-event analysis was employed to answer the research questions. Key independent variables included client race/ethnicity, community-level economic disadvantage, and racial/ethnic composition of the community. Latino clients and clients residing in communities with a higher proportion of Black residents had higher hazards of a DUI arrest post-treatment admission. Future research should examine whether disparities in DUI arrests are related to differences in treatment effectiveness or other factors (e.g., inequities in law enforcement) so that these disparities can be addressed.

Language: en

Keywords

Alcohol; Community; DUI; Disparities; Outcomes; Treatment