Motivation to stop substance use and psychological and environmental characteristics of homeless women

Abstract

Characteristics associated with wanting to permanently quit their alcohol, cocaine or heroine use were examined in 748 homeless women. Only a third of Latinas wanted to stop using alcohol; they were also at relatively high risk for continued heroine use. Recognition that their substance use was an extremely serious problem was a consistent predictor of wanting to quit substance use. Other important predictors of desiring to quit two substances included not hanging out with other drug users, lifetime hospitalization for drug use and recent substance use treatment. Findings from this study may be helpful for selecting relative good candidates for the limited number of substance abuse treatment slots available for homeless women and providing supplementary assistance to those already in treatment.