(DOWNLOAD) "Social Workers in the Substance Abuse Treatment Field: A Snapshot of Service Activities (Survey)" by Health and Social Work " Book PDF Kindle ePub Free

eBook details

Title: Social Workers in the Substance Abuse Treatment Field: A Snapshot of Service Activities (Survey)
Author : Health and Social Work
Release Date : January 01, 2006
Genre: Health & Fitness,Books,Health, Mind & Body,
Pages : * pages
Size : 216 KB

Description

The impact of substance abuse on society is wide ranging and costly. According to a Robert Wood Johnson Foundation (RWJF, 2001) report, substance abuse, including tobacco use, is the cause of more deaths, illnesses, and disabilities than any other preventable health condition. This same report indicates that approximately 25 percent of the more than 2 million deaths each year in the United States are attributable to alcohol, illicit drugs, or tobacco. The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) estimates that drug and alcohol abuse contribute to more than 120,000 deaths in the United States each year (HHS, 2002). According to Healthy People 2010 (HHS, 2000), alcohol and illicit drug use are associated with a wide range of health and social welfare problems, including child and spousal abuse, sexually transmitted diseases, teenage pregnancy, school failure, motor vehicle crashes, low worker productivity, increasing health care costs, and homelessness. Furthermore, long-term heavy alcohol use can lead to heart disease, cancer, liver disease, pancreatitis, and fetal alcohol syndrome (HHS, 2000). In 1995 the cost of alcohol and drug abuse to society was conservatively estimated at more than $275 billion per year (RWJE 2001). These figures reflect costs associated with illness, deaths, medical care, crime, other related costs (for example, motor vehicle crashes), and special conditions related to substance abuse (for example, HIV/AIDS attributable to substance abuse). According to a Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) report, it is estimated that 18 to 26 million Americans were in need of substance abuse treatment in 2002 (SAMHSA, 2003). The 2002 National Survey on Drug Use and Health estimated that 22 million people age 12 or older were classified with substance abuse or dependence, supporting the need for substance abuse treatment in the United States. Estimates from SAMHSA indicate that the need for substance abuse services for individuals with an illicit drug problem are increasing (SAMHSA, 2002a). Furthermore, abuse of alcohol and drugs (both legal and illicit) affects nearly 17 percent of adults age 60 or older (SAMHSA, 2002b). Although the need for treatment is documented, it is estimated that only 3 million people actually received substance abuse treatment in 2002 (SAMHSA, 2003).