Epidemiology of Inhalant Abuse - Archives - National Institute on ...
Epidemiology of Inhalant Abuse - Archives - National Institute on ...
Epidemiology of Inhalant Abuse - Archives - National Institute on ...
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Furthermore, because inhalant abuse has been reported to be epidemic in<br />
some communities—particularly in selected rural areas and ethnic<br />
minority neighborhoods—efforts should be directed at studying the<br />
dimensi<strong>on</strong>s <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> this problem and how it can be addressed at the<br />
community level.<br />
Policy Alternative 4: Develop and Deliver Treatment for<br />
<str<strong>on</strong>g>Inhalant</str<strong>on</strong>g> <str<strong>on</strong>g>Abuse</str<strong>on</strong>g><br />
There is no treatment modality or defined therapeutic approach for<br />
inhalant abuse, and there are extremely few treatment programs directed<br />
at inhalant abusers. <str<strong>on</strong>g>Nati<strong>on</strong>al</str<strong>on</strong>g>ly, there are <strong>on</strong>ly about 2,500 to 5,000<br />
pers<strong>on</strong>s with primary inhalant abuse problems admitted to various types<br />
<str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> substance abuse treatment programs per year. There is no knowledge<br />
about how these patients functi<strong>on</strong> in different kinds <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> treatment<br />
programs, what their retenti<strong>on</strong> is, or, most critically, what their outcomes<br />
are (Jumper-Thurman and Beauvais 1992). This is an area where<br />
research may have a pay<str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g>f in terms <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> identifying practiti<strong>on</strong>ers and<br />
programs that see inhalant abusers and simply accumulating<br />
observati<strong>on</strong>al data before determining whether more rigorous research<br />
efforts should be implemented. Rigorous research may be extremely<br />
difficult to initiate given the small number <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> inhalant abusers that present<br />
for treatment annually.<br />
FUTURE DIRECTIONS IN POLICY RESEARCH<br />
It is a paradox <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> the inhalant problem that, even though inhalant policy<br />
initiatives (primarily State statutes) have been numerous, there have been<br />
virtually no evaluati<strong>on</strong>s performed. This study documented that 43 States<br />
have enacted at least some inhalant legislati<strong>on</strong>. In additi<strong>on</strong>, half <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> the<br />
school drug abuse curricula reviewed c<strong>on</strong>tained student comp<strong>on</strong>ents <strong>on</strong><br />
inhalant abuse. However, there have been no studies <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> whether and how<br />
widely such policies have actually been implemented (not merely<br />
promulgated); nor have there been studies <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> what has been d<strong>on</strong>e in the<br />
course <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> implementati<strong>on</strong> (process studies) or outcome studies <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> these<br />
initiatives. C<strong>on</strong>sequently, this appears to be an open area for research.<br />
While it is challenging to design and undertake research <strong>on</strong> inhalant<br />
policies, it would not be substantially different from performing<br />
evaluati<strong>on</strong>s <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> other antidrug initiatives. As noted above, such<br />
evaluati<strong>on</strong>s generally can be differentiated into process evaluati<strong>on</strong>s and<br />
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