Comparison of treatment utilization and outcome for Hispanics and non-Hispanic whites.

OBJECTIVE: To examine the use of formal alcohol treatment and Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) by Hispanics and non-Hispanic whites, and to compare ethnic groups on posttreatment functioning.

METHOD: Data from a publicly funded substance abuse treatment center in New Mexico were used to investigate possible differences between Hispanic (n = 46) and non-Hispanic white (n = 62) men (n = 76) and women (n = 32) on percent days alcohol therapy and AA attendance for 6 months after study recruitment.

RESULTS: Hispanic clients were more often male (80% vs 63%), had fewer years of education (mean = 11.6 vs 12.6) and were less likely to live alone (7% vs 29%) than were non-Hispanic white clients. The heavy drinking (drinks per drinking day mean = 16.7; standard drink units in prior 90 days mean = 941.00) and few abstinent days (mean = 0.44) that characterized both groups at intake improved over time with Hispanics engaging in more formal alcohol therapy sessions but attending fewer AA meetings than non-Hispanic whites over the course of 6 months of follow-up. Attendance at treatment and AA were separately associated with decreased intensity and quantity of alcohol use, but not abstinent days, for both ethnic groups.

CONCLUSIONS: Hispanic and non-Hispanic white clients used somewhat different treatment strategies to deal with alcohol-related problems, these paths, however, ultimately resulted in similar posttreatment drinking outcomes (frequency, intensity and quantity of alcohol consumption).