by Jerry Stubben
Assistant Professor and Extension Political Scientist
Iowa State University
About one out of every eleven adult Iowans is dependent on alcohol or an illegal substance of some kind. Another 19% have a potential problem with drugs or alcohol as they show one or more of the warning signs of substance dependence. When we add the two categories together, we get a sense of the true dimensions of the substance abuse problem in lowa. A total of 28.3% of adult Iowas, or more than one in four, meet one or more of the criteria for substance dependence, and rural Iowans are slightly more likely to be dependent than their urban neighbors. These are some of the findings of the Iowa 1993 Household Survey of Substance Use and Treatment Needs jointly conducted by a consortium of researchers from Iowa State University, the University of Iowa and the University of Northern Iowa. Results of the study are available from Dr. Gene Lutz at UNI.
According to the definitions used in this study, 9.2% of rural Iowans are dependent on alcohol, 0.9% on marijuana and hashish, and 1% on crack, cocaine. Clearly the drug of choice for rural Iowans is alcohol. This is true for urban Iowans, too, although not on the same scale. 7.8% of urban adults are dependent on alcohol, 1.5% on marijuana, hashish and 1.8% on crack cocaine. Adult alcohol use is higher in Iowa than in the nation as a whole, and higher than it is in neighboring states. About 94% of adult Iowans have used alcohol in their lifetime, and 77% have used it in the last 18 months. However, the rate of illegal drug use is relatively low in Iowa.
Other findings of the study:
Men are 3 times more likely to be dependent on alcohol than women.
Men are 2 times more likely to be dependent on marijuana and other drugs than women.
Iowans over 30 years of age are twice as likely to be dependent on a substance as younger Iowans.
Rates of substance abuse are about the same in all regions of the state.
Less than a third of those dependent on alcohol think they have a drinking problem.
About 64% of rural Iowans report using sedatives (like sleeping pills or tranquilizers) within the last year compared to 55 . 7% of urban adults.
A relatively high percentage of Iowans report using stimulants such as diet pills and amphetamines as contrasted to the region and the nation as a whole.
Almost 76% of those who participated in a treatment program indicate that the treatment helped them reduce and control their drug consumption, or helped them quit using drugs (including alcohol) totally.
There were nearly 8000 respondents with a substance abuse problem who said that they were willing to seek treatment but did not. The reasons they provided were:
¥ More than one in four could not find the type of treatment or special health care they required.
¥ One in six could not afford treatment.
¥ One in nine did not know where to go for help
¥ One in thirteen couldn't get in because the programs were too full One in thirteen felt that the treatment programs/facilities were too far away from where they live.
These reasons are very relevant for rural areas of the state. More and more substance abuse treatment programs are being absorbed by and/or consolidated into larger, usually more urban based programs. Distance to treatment facilities already discourages a number of people with substance abuse problems from seeking treatment. Residents in rural sections of Iowa will find it increasingly difficult to find affordable convenient treatment options.
Contacts:
Terry L. Besser, ISU
Extension Sociology, (515) 294-6508
Del Marks, ISU Extension
Communication Systems, (515) 294-9807
