Examining drug treatment program entry of injection drug users: human capital and institutional disaffiliation

Logistic regression analysis was used to examine the likelihood of either entering residential treatment, methadone treatment or solely entering detoxification programs for 32,173 injection drug users (IDUs) using drug treatment in Massachusetts, 1996–1999. Those IDUs who were employed, more educated, health-insured, not homeless and who resided with their children were less likely to solely enter detoxification programs. This population, with more human capital and lower levels of institutional disaffiliation, was also more likely to enter methadone maintenance programs. These results were consistent for two groups of drug users: those who reported having injected in the past year and those with a history of injecting who had not injected in the past year. Overall, the findings demonstrate a need for more complex drug treatment program planning efforts that also respond to issues of employment, education and social isolation.