Client Demographics, 1980-1992

Since 1980, NDATUS has collected the same demographic data for clients treated on the reference date of the survey. Actual numbers of clients reported cannot be compared over time due to likely fluctuations in survey coverage. However, the proportion of clients in each demographic category is compared in order to assess how the mix of clients may have changed over time and in order to highlight potential survey discontinuities.

Clients in Specialty Substance Abuse Treatment by Sex

                                 Percent
           1980    1982    1987    1989    1990    1991    1992 

Men        74.8    74.8    72.3    70.4    72.1    72.5    71.1
Women      25.2    25.2    27.7    29.6    27.9    27.5    28.9

• Sex. In 1992, 71% of clients in specialty substance abuse treatment were men; this compares to 48% men in the general population age 12 and older. The series of NDATUS surveys between 1980 and 1992 shows a slow decline in the proportion of men, starting from 75% in 1980.

• Age. In 1992, a disproportionate number of clients in specialty substance abuse treatment were between the ages of 21-44, compared to the general population. Ages 21-24 accounted for 12% of the treatment population versus 7% in the general population age 12 and above; ages 25-34 were 35% versus 21%; and ages 35-44 were 28% versus 19%.

• Recent NDATUS surveys show a shifting age pattern among clients. The proportion of clients ages 21 to 44 rose from 62% in 1980 to 75% in 1992, while the proportion of clients under 21 and over 44 both declined substantially.

• More detailed data, reported since 1987, show a definite aging pattern. All groups under age 25 declined in proportion to the total. The most rapidly growing group was clients age 35-44; and the proportion of clients over 45 reversed its steep decline in 1989, and slowly started to rise.

Clients in Specialty Substance Abuse Treatment by Age

                                     Percent

               1980    1982    1987    1989    1990    1991    1992


< 21           15.7    14.1    16.9    16.9    12.1    11.1    10.1
     12-17                     10.3    10.2     6.4     5.9     5.4

     18-20                      6.6     6.7     5.7     5.2     4.7


21-44          61.7    64.6    69.1    69.9    74.1    74.9    75.2

     21-24                     13.5    13.0    13.0    13.0    11.8
     25-34                     32.5    33.2    35.0    35.2    35.2
     35-44                     23.1    23.7    26.1    26.7    28.3


45+            22.5    21.4    14.0    13.2    13.8    13.9    14.6
     45-54                      9.2     8.8     9.5     9.7    10.4
     55-64                      3.7     3.3     3.4     3.3     3.2
     65+                        1.1     1.1     1.0     1.0     0.9

• Race/Ethnicity. In 1992, white clients made up the largest share of clients in treatment (60%). However, blacks, Hispanics, and Native Americans were over represented in specialty substance abuse treatment compared to the general population age 12 and above. Blacks made up 22% of treatment clients, compared to 12% in the general population; Hispanics were 15% of clients compared to 10% in the general population; and Native Americans were 1.3% of clients compared to 0.7% in the general population.

• Similarly, while the national rate of clients in treatment was 432 per 100,000 population (aged 12 and over), the rates for blacks and Hispanics were higher than for whites (850, 608, and 348 per 100,000, respectively).

Clients in Specialty Substance Abuse Treatment by Race/Ethnicity

                                        Percent

                  1980    1982    1987    1989    1990    1991    1992


White,
   non-Hispanic   62.7    64.2    65.6    62.6    61.8    61.5    59.8

Black,
   non-Hispanic   20.6    20.5    19.4    20.6    20.7    21.2    21.6
Hispanic          13.4    12.3    12.4    13.8    14.4    14.1    14.6

Asian or 
   Pac. Islander   0.4     0.4     0.5     0.6     0.7     0.9     0.8

Am. Ind./
   Alas. Native    2.9     2.7     1.7     2.0     2.0     1.8     1.3

Between 1980 and 1992, the proportion of reported American Indian and Alaskan Native clients was more than cut in half, from 2.9% to 1.3%, and the proportion of Asian and Pacific Islanders doubled, from 0.4% to 0.8%. These changes were striking, but for client subgroups that are small in total number, large changes measured as a proportion of the total may result from relatively small increments or decrements in client numbers.

• The racial and ethnic composition of clients has changed little between 1980 and 1992. The proportion of whites declined from 63% in 1980. The proportion of Hispanics rose slightly from 13%, and the proportion of blacks rose one percentage point from 21%.

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