Demographic, Background, and Treatment Factors That Affect Gay and Bisexual Clients in Substance Abuse Programs

Abstract

In New York City, a convenience sample of 180 gay/bisexual former clients of substance abuse programs completed surveys that included questions regarding their demographic, background, and treatment factors. Multivariate analysis was utilized to determine which factors predicted differences in reported abstinence rates after treatment, reasons for leaving treatment, and perceptions of treatment. Specialized lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender programs and groups, individual counseling, and frequent 12-step program attendance appeared to be beneficial for gay/bisexual clients in substance abuse treatment. Furthermore, gay/bisexual men reported lower abstinence levels after treatment than did gay/bisexual women, and bisexual clients appeared to have more treatment difficulties than did gay/bisexual clients.

KEYWORDS:

• gay
• lesbian
• bisexual
• substance abuse treatment
• alcohol treatment
• drug treatment

ACKNOWLEDGMENT

The researcher would like to thank Dr. Barbara Warren, Director of Organizational Development, Planning, and Research at the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender Community Center in Manhattan, for allowing this study to recruit participants outside of 12-step meetings in the lobby of that facility, and would also like to thank the following faculty members of New York University Silver School of Social Work for their support of this study: Mary Ann Jones, D.S.W., Associate Professor; Shulamith Lala Ashenberg Straussner, D.S.W., Professor; and Diane Grodney, Ph.D., Clinical Associate Professor.

The researcher would like to thank Dr. Barbara Warren, Director of Organizational Development, Planning, and Research at the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender Community Center in Manhattan for allowing this study to recruit participants outside of 12-step meetings in the lobby of that facility.

Notes

∗p ≤ .050. ∗∗p ≤ .010.

^aCompared to Male.

^bCompared to Gay.

^cCompared to Black, Hispanic, and Other.

^dCompared to Outpatient Treatment.

∗p ≤ .050.

∗∗p ≤ .010.

^aCompared to Male.

^bCompared to Gay.

^cCompared to Black, Hispanic, and Other.

^dCompared to Outpatient Treatment.