A Rosenblum

..Alcohol dependence and sexual behavior did not predict HCV. Hepatitis C is a significant public health problem among the urban homeless population, with injection drug use and, to a lesser extent, cocaine use implicated as risk factors...

..These results suggest that autonomy may be a useful construct to measure, and that subjects with nonautonomous mood disorders may need special efforts to ensure treatment retention...

..Preliminary 4-month outcomes (N = 128) showed reductions in drug use, homelessness and health complaints in both groups; experimental subjects compared with controls received more Public Assistance and had fewer emergency room visits...

..These data underscore the need for effective cocaine treatment and HIV interventions tailored to the large numbers of cocaine users in inner cities...

..Thus, treating alcohol abuse in this population must take into account the important function it serves in modulating cocaine/crack use...

..Soup kitchens should be prime locations for outreach to cocaine/crack and heroin users in need of treatment, medical care, and interventions to prevent infectious disease transmission...

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..These results underscore the need for interventions that address social influence factors among vulnerable early adolescents with HIV-positive parents...

..Clinical implications of the results are discussed...

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..The CAARS may prove useful for measuring ADHD symptomatology among substance users, but additional reliability and validity evidence is needed. The CAARS should not be used by itself to diagnose individuals for ADHD...

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..This would help them to identify and intervene promptly with those in greatest need of support for remaining in treatment...

..The majority of those in the latter group had never participated in a training specifically devoted to HCV. Results suggest the need for effective HCV-related training for all staff in drug treatment programs...

..Little is known, however, about the level of HCV knowledge among drug treatment program patients, and the extent to which they utilize their programs' HCV education services...

..Future studies should describe HIV/HCV needle injection practices, characteristics that predict treatment outcomes, and factors that contribute to higher prevalence of persistent pain among PO abusers...

..Efforts should focus on increasing staff's HCV knowledge in order to increase their confidence in providing HCV related support to their clients...

..Co-occurring psychiatric disorders and polysubstance abuse at intake were common, but received clinical attention, which may explain why their effect on outcomes was minimal...

..This study helps demonstrate the benefits of introducing 12-step, dual-focus mutual aid into psychiatric treatment programs that serve patients with co-occurring disorders...

..Three of the hypothesized moderators were empirically supported: alexithymia, network support for alcohol, and ASPD. Results indicate the use of assessing specific patient attributes to better inform treatment recommendations...

..We conclude that a variety of factors affect motivation for substance abuse treatment among female sex workers, and that street-based outreach is a highly effective modality for linking this population with much needed treatment...

..For clinicians, these findings underline the importance of fostering stable affiliation with specialized 12-Step based groups among their clients...

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..Problem recognition had a strong indirect effect on readiness mediated through desire for help. Knowledge of a drug user's motivational state and the factors leading to it can help guide the development of more effective interventions...

..Behavioral counseling techniques may be especially helpful in addressing the complex needs of high-risk methadone patients, which in turn may facilitate treatment process and positive outcomes...

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..Fourth, progress is reported in improving the quality of treatment through standardized criteria for patient placement matching...

..The findings indicate that methadone maintenance treatment can help dually-addicted patients reduce their cocaine use...

..Improvements in diagnostic testing and increasingly portable medical technology may make the mobile delivery of medical care to homeless persons increasingly feasible...

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..Little is known about the prevalence and characteristics of chronic pain among patients with different types of chemical dependency...

..The need to reduce health disparities through active and sustained outreach programs designed to enhance homeless persons' access to Medicaid and food stamp programs was discussed...

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..Results were robust for both methods of assessment. Corroboration by more research is needed, but the ASAM Criteria show promise for reducing both detrimental undertreatment and cost-inefficient overtreatment...

..In addition, currently uninfected drug users will likely remain at high risk for contracting HCV and may need to make decisions about whether or not to start the HCV medical regimen in the future...