Biomedical subjects

M Argeriou

Publications and source records attributed to M Argeriou.

22 records · Page 2Linked to original sources

PubMedDate not supplied

Characteristics and treatment needs of sexually abused pregnant women in drug rehabilitation. The Massachusetts MOTHERS Project.

Four hundred forty-seven Medicaid-eligible pregnant chemically dependent women were interviewed during their stay in publicly funded detoxification centers in Massachusetts. One hundred eighty-four women (41%) reported sexual abuse during their lifetime. Sexually abused women differed significantly from women who had not been abused, on a variety of psychological, social, and medical problems indicators. Sexually abused women appear to constitute a specific subgroup of the larger population of substance abusing women, and have unique treatment needs.

Adolescent↗

PubMedDate not supplied

An examination of racial and ethnic differences within a sample of Hispanic, white (non-Hispanic), and African American Medicaid-eligible pregnant substance abusers. The MOTHERS Project.

White (n = 213), African American (n = 210), and Hispanic (n = 104) Medicaid-eligible, chemically-dependent, pregnant women were interviewed during their stay in stay in publicly-funded detoxification centers in Massachusetts. Comparisons of demographic, psychosocial, and substance abuse variables revealed significant intergroup differences in almost all instances. There appears to be as much heterogeneity within the treatment population subgroup of pregnant women as there is across different treatment populations. Ramifications of the observed differences for treatment planning and service provision are discussed.

Adolescent↗

PubMedDate not supplied

The impact of substance abuse treatment modality on birth weight and health care expenditures.

During the 1990s, substance abuse treatment programs were developed for pregnant women to help improve infant birth outcomes, reduce maternal drug dependency and promote positive lifestyle changes. This study compared the relative impact of five treatment modalities--residential, outpatient, residential/outpatient, methadone and detoxification-only--on infant birth weight and perinatal health care expenditures for a sample of 445 Medicaid-eligible pregnant women who received treatment in Massachusetts between 1992 and 1997. Costs and outcomes were measured using the Addiction Severity Index and data from birth certificates, substance abuse treatment records and Medicaid claims. Multiple regression was used to control for intake differences between the groups. Results showed a near linear relationship between birth weight and amount of treatment received. Women who received the most treatment (the residential/outpatient group) delivered infants who were 190 grams heavier than those who received the least treatment (the detoxification-only group) for an additional cost of $17,211. Outpatient programs were the most cost-effective option, increasing birth weight by 139 grams over detoxification-only for an investment of only $1,788 in additional health care and treatment costs. A second regression using five intermediate treatment outcomes--prenatal care, weight gain, relapse, tobacco use and infection--suggested that increases in birth weight were due primarily to improved nutrition and reduced drug use, behaviors which are perhaps more easily influenced in residential settings.

Adult↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Dimensions of homelessness.

Investigations of homelessness have been hampered by the lack of operational definitions sensitive enough to achieve subgroup differentiation and simple enough to permit replication. As a consequence, programming and policy development have often proceeded based on varying assessments of the composition, size, and needs of the homeless population. This paper describes the empirical use of duration of homelessness and dwelling place as elements of an operational definition of homelessness. The approach reflects a conceptualization of homelessness as a continuous variable that can be described by coordinates of time and place. A screening instrument that quantified the homeless experience was developed and evaluated in conjunction with a federally funded demonstration project for homeless substance-abusing men and women. Eight hundred and thirty-nine men and women from six public detoxification centers were screened over a two-year period that began in August 1988. Respondents were asked eight questions to assess duration (time) and location (place) of homelessness before they entered the detoxification center. A simple index was constructed retrospectively and found to differentiate the sample into homeless and near-homeless subgroups. Between-group differences were statistically significant in demographics, presenting problems, and probability for successful intervention. These data paralleled previously reported differences between homeless subgroups and support the concurrent validity of the index. Cronbach's alpha (.72) showed the index to be moderately reliable. Differentiation of homeless persons into meaningful subgroups appears possible and programmatically recommended. Homelessness is not a unitary phenomenon, and it is unlikely to respond to therapeutic interventions that fail to consider individual differences.

Boston↗