Kentucky Needs Assessment Project Brief Report

Intravenous Drug Use among Kentucky Adults

In Brief:

• More than 50% of Kentucky adults who have used intravenous drugs need treatment

• Approximately one-third of Kentucky adults who have used intravenous drugs do not have health insurance coverage

• An estimated 15.2% of Kentucky adults who have used intravenous drugs began using illicit drugs at 11 years old or younger compared to 2.8% of adult non-intravenous drug users

INTRODUCTION

An estimated 33% of Kentucky adults have used illicit drugs at some point in their lifetime, and approximately 0.9% of Kentucky adults have used intravenous drugs (IV drugs) during their lifetime. The Kentucky Needs Assessment Project* (KNAP) 2004 Adult Household Survey asked adults aged 18 and older about their intravenous drug use, alcohol use, and other illicit drug use over the past 12 months, as well as substance abuse and dependence. Intravenous drug use is defined as the injection of any illicit drug in order to get high. Illicit drug is defined as marijuana, cocaine, other stimulants, oxycodone/Oxycontin, other opiates, sedatives, hallucinogens, club drugs, inhalants, or any other substance used to achieve intoxication excluding alcohol and tobacco. Substance abuse and dependence is defined using Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders1 (DSM-IV-TR) criteria, however, these should not be considered as clinical diagnoses. This report focuses on intravenous drug use by Kentucky adults aged 18 and over.

STUDY OVERVIEW

The Kentucky Needs Assessment Project (KNAP) is a series of studies designed to estimate substance use levels and substance abuse treatment need of Kentuckians. Data for this report was taken from the 2004 Adult Household Survey, a telephone survey of 4,210 Kentucky households using random digit dialing. Only respondents in residential households were sampled and included. The findings from this study can only be generalized to adults residing in Kentucky households, and not to those in institutional, dormitory or group home settings. Another potential source of bias is the understatement or overstatement of actual behaviors. The validity of self-report data depends on the honesty, memory, and understanding of the respondents. The detailed methodology of this study is described in the full report which can be viewed here.

DEMOGRAPHIC CHARACTERISTICS AND IV DRUG USE

The percent of Kentucky adults 18 years of age and older who have reported using intravenous drugs at some point in their lifetime is an estimated 0.9%.

Gender – Adult male Kentuckians are more likely to ever use intravenous drugs than females. Just over two-thirds (68%) of adult Kentuckians who used intravenous drugs are male. In comparison, 59% of adult Kentuckians who used non-intravenous drugs are males, and 43% of adult Kentuckians who never used illicit drugs are male.

Race – An estimated 88% of adult Kentuckians who ever used intravenous drugs are white (Figure 1). In comparison, 91% of adult Kentuckians who have used non-intravenous drugs, as well as those who have never used illicit drugs, are white.

Figure 1: Race of Adult Kentuckians Who Report Having Used Intravenous Drugs in Lifetime

Age – The majority of adult Kentuckians who ever used IV drugs are 40 to 49 years of age. Almost three-quarters (71%) of adult Kentuckians who used intravenous drugs in their lifetime are currently 40 years of age or older (Figure 2).

Figure 2: Current Age of Adult Kentuckians Who Report Having Used Intravenous Drugs in Lifetime

Martial Status – Persons who ever used intravenous drugs are twice as likely to be currently divorced or separated than persons who used only non-intravenous drugs and about 3.5 times more likely than persons who never used drugs. An estimated 33.1% of Kentucky adults who ever used intravenous drugs are currently married or living as married, compared to 55.3% of Kentucky adults who used non-intravenous drugs, and 60.3% of Kentucky adults who never used illicit drugs (Table 1).

Table 1: Martial Status of Adult Kentuckians by Illicit Drug Use

Education – An estimated 80.6% of Kentucky adults who have used intravenous drugs in their lifetime are high school graduates or have attained their GED, compared to 89.7% of Kentucky adults who have used non-intravenous drugs and 88.4% of Kentucky adults who have never used illicit drugs (Table 2). Approximately 17.3% of Kentucky adults who have used intravenous drugs in their lifetime reported that they have attained at least an Associate degree, compared to 37.1% of Kentucky adults who have used non-intravenous drugs and 40.2% of Kentucky adults who have never used illicit drugs.

Table 2: Highest Education Level Attained by Adult Kentuckians by Illicit Drug Use

Work Status – Approximately 60% of adult Kentuckians who have used intravenous drugs in their lifetime currently work full-time, compared to about 64% of adult Kentuckians who have used non-intravenous drugs in their lifetime and 45% of adult Kentuckians who have never used illicit drugs (Figure 3). An estimated 2% of adult Kentuckians who have used intravenous drugs work part-time, compared to about 10% of both those who have used non-IV drugs and those who have never used illicit drugs.

Figure 3: Current Work Status of Adult Kentuckians by Illicit Drug Use

HEALTH AND IV DRUG USE

Health Insurance Coverage – Approximately one-third of Kentucky adults who reported using intravenous drugs in their lifetime do not have health insurance, compared to 11.3% of Kentucky adults who have never used intravenous drugs.

Perceived Risk of Contracting HIV-AIDS – Almost one-quarter of Kentucky adults who have used intravenous drugs report that they have a 25% chance or greater risk of contracting HIV-AIDS (Figure 4).

Figure 4: Adult Kentuckians’ Perception of Having a 25% Chance or Greater Risk of Contracting HIV-AIDS by Categories of Illicit Drug Use

Emotional Health – Approximately 30.5% of adult Kentuckians who reported intravenous drug use indicate “excellent” or “very good” emotional health in the past 12 months, compared to an estimated 57.7% of adult Kentuckians who have used non-intravenous drugs and approximately 68.5% of adult Kentuckians who have never used illicit drugs (Figure 5). Almost one-half of adult Kentuckians who reported intravenous drug use indicate “fair” or “poor” emotional health in the past 12 months, compared to about 15.3% of adults who have used non-intravenous drugs in their lifetime and 9.1% of adult Kentuckians who have never used illicit drugs.

Figure 5: Emotional Health of Adult Kentuckians in Past 12 Months by Illicit Drug Use

Physical Health – Approximately 30.6% of adult Kentuckians who have used intravenous drugs report that their physical health has been “excellent” or “very good” in the past 12 months, compared to approximately 53% of adult Kentuckians who have used non-intravenous drugs and 56% of adult Kentuckians who have never used illicit drugs (Figure 6). An estimated 42.4% of adult Kentuckians who have used intravenous drugs report that their physical health has been “fair” or “poor” in the past 12 months, compared to approximately 19.3% of adult Kentuckians who have used non-intravenous drugs and 18.7% of adult Kentuckians who have never used illicit drugs.

Figure 6: Physical Health of Adult Kentuckians in Past 12 Months by Illicit Drug Use

ALCOHOL AND ILLICIT DRUG USE

Age at First Illicit Drug Use – The majority of adult Kentuckians, both who report using intravenous drugs and those who have never used intravenous drugs, indicate that they first began using illicit drugs between ages 12 and 18 (Figure 7). Approximately 15% of adult Kentuckians who report using intravenous drugs indicate that they first began using illicit drugs at age 11 or younger, compared to about 3% of adult Kentuckians who have never used intravenous drugs. Approximately 12% of adult Kentuckians who have used an intravenous drug first used an illicit drug at age 19 or older, compared to almost 33% of adult Kentuckians who have never used intravenous drugs.

Figure 7: Percent of Adult Kentuckians at Age First Used Illicit Drugs by Illicit Drug Use

DSM-IV-TR Alcohol Abuse During Lifetime – Approximately 30.6% of adult Kentuckians who have used intravenous drugs in their lifetime have met the DSM-IV-TR criteria for alcohol abuse in their lifetime, compared to about 10.3% of adult Kentuckians who have never used intravenous drugs.

DSM-IV-TR Alcohol Dependence During Lifetime – Approximately 22.2% of adult Kentuckians who have used intravenous drugs in their lifetime have met the DSM-IV-TR criteria for alcohol dependence in their lifetime, compared to about 3.5% of adult Kentuckians who have never used intravenous drugs.

DSM-IV-TR Illicit Drug Abuse During Lifetime – Approximately 30.9% of adult Kentuckians who have used intravenous drugs in their lifetime have met the DSM-IV-TR criteria for drug abuse in their lifetime, compared to about 5.1% of adult Kentuckians who have used non-intravenous drugs.

DSM-IV-TR Illicit Drug Dependence During Lifetime – Approximately 30.4% of adult Kentuckians who have used intravenous drugs in their lifetime have met the DSM-IV-TR criteria for drug dependence in their lifetime, compared to about 2.5% of adult Kentuckians who have used non-intravenous drugs.

Alcohol and/or Illicit Drug Treatment Received – Approximately 52.8% of adult Kentuckians who have used intravenous drugs in their lifetime have received alcohol and/or illicit drug treatment during their lifetime, compared to approximately 3.3% of adult Kentuckians who have never used intravenous drugs.

TREATMENT

Self-Help Groups and Other Counseling – Over three-quarters of adult Kentuckians who have used intravenous drugs in their lifetime have attended a self-help group, and an estimated 59.9% have attended some other type of counseling treatment (Figure 8). In comparison, less than 2% of adult Kentuckians who have never used illicit drugs have attended a self-help group or another form of counseling treatment.

Figure 8: Percent of Adult Kentuckians Attending Self-Help Groups and Other Counseling Treatments by Illicit Drug Use

Treatment Need – Approximately 59.1% of adult Kentuckians who ever used intravenous drugs currently need treatment, compared to 25.8% of those who used only non-IV drugs and 4.2% who never used illicit drugs.

Acknowledgements

This report was prepared by the University of Kentucky Center on Drug and Alcohol Research under contract from the Kentucky Cabinet for Health and Family Services, Department of Mental Health and Mental Retardation Services, Division of Mental Health and Substance Abuse. Contributors include Matthew Webster (Principal Investigator), David Clark (Study Director), Thomas Garrity (Co-Investigator), Carl Leukefeld (Co-Investigator), and Jennifer McGivern (Research Assistant).

Click here for a .pdf version of this report.

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