Epidemiologic surveys of the New York State population over the past several years show substance use rates for females that are approaching the higher use rates for males. Surveys of the secondary school population show similar rates of use for girls and boys over time as well as a similar intensity of involvement. Surveys of adults show a dramatic increase of use for females, ages 18 to 34 years, in recent years, and a more modest increase for females, ages 35 years and older. An analysis of substance use by sex, age, marital status and employment identifies disparate rates of use among subgroups. For instance, among younger adults, single full-time employed women have considerably higher rates of use than housewives for illicit substances as well as psychoactive prescription drugs used medically as well as nonmedically.
A 1981 survey of substance use among household residents in New York State found rates of use consistently higher among the upper income group ($50,000 and over) than among groups with lower incomes. In addition, measures of the seriousness of the problem also revealed higher rates among the upper income group than the other income groups. In terms of preferences for treatment, the upper income group substance user clearly opts for the private professional. The findings generally suggest that there are few qualitative differences in patterns of substance-taking among the income groups, and it might be hypothesized that the availability of disposable income in the upper income group and some situational factors may facilitate that group's substance-using behavior.
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