Abstract: | Objective: This study examined factors associated with adolescents' use of alcohol treatment services.Method: Data on adolescents (aged 12–17) from the 1994 National Household Survey on Drug Abuse (NHSDA, N=4698), a large representative sample of the U.S. population, were used in this study. Information obtained from the survey included adolescent alcohol use, drinking patterns, alcohol abuse/dependent problems, and service use for alcohol-related problems. In addition, socio-demographics, health insurance, mental and behavioral problems, and other drug use were also included in the analysis.Results: The findings indicate that many adolescents with alcohol problems did not receive treatment. White adolescents were more likely to receive alcohol treatment services than nonwhites. Among alcohol-related problems, alcohol causing problems at home, school, or other settings predicted entry into alcohol treatment. Drug use and poor health status were also associated with receiving alcohol treatment services.Conclusions: This study calls for an improved service delivery system to meet service needs of adolescents with alcohol-related problems, especially among minorities, and those with alcohol-related problems but without yet experiencing significant negative social consequences. |