An exploratory study of violence, substance abuse, disability, and gender

Using a random sample of 1,876 individuals with disabilities, this study examines relationships between victimization as a result of violence, substance abuse, disability, and gender Multivariate analyses reveal that women with disabilities are more likely to be victims of substance abuserelated violence than are male counterparts. Some disability conditions such as disability onset multiple disabilities and chronic pain - are significantly associated with violence for both men and women with disabilities. For people with disabilities, this study finds that victims of substance abuse-related violence are more likely to have their own substance abuse problems than are those who have not been victimized. The authors discuss several issues relevant to a better understanding of violence, substance abuse, disability and gender

The link between violence and substance abuse has attracted numerous studies in the past. It is commonly observed that substance abuse and violence tend to coexist; however questions remain about whether substance abuse causes violence or whether violence causes substance abuse (Spieker, 1983; Rogan, 1985/86; Gorney, 1989; Engs, 1990; Gelles, 1993). While the majority of literature has investigated the relationship between an individual's substance abuse and his or her violent behavior, there is an increasing study of the links between being the victim of violence and personal alcohol or drug abuse.

Recent studies of female substance abusers have found that many had been victims of physical or sexual abuse as children and adults, and the violence experienced by these women was often associated with their own addictions (Miller, Downs & Gondoli, 1989; Ladwig & Andersen, 1989-, Woodhouse, 1990; Miller & Downs, 1995; Bennett, 1995). in their research of 472 women between the ages of 18 and 45, Miller and her associates found that women with alcohol problems experienced significantly higher levels of violence than did women in a control group, suggesting a correlation between victimization and the development of substance abuse (Miller, Downs & Testa, 1993; Miller & Downs, 1995). It was reported also that having a substance abusing spouse or partner was more likely to generate substance abuse in women than in men, since women are more likely to comply with male behavior than men are to comply with female behavior (Goldberg, 1995). Other studies have revealed that abusing alcohol or illicit drugs increased women's chances of becoming victims ofviolence (Kantor & Straus, 1989; Bennett, 1995).

Overall, there seems to be considerable empirical evidence supporting an association between a woman's substance abuse and being a victim of violence. However, these previous studies were largely limited to two populations: women in alcohol or drug treatment programs and the general female population. There is a paucity of studies which have investigated victimization and substance abuse among other populations in terms of age, social class, ethnicity, and subcultures. The lack of differentiation in research samples indicates deficiencies in identifying particular factors or stresses which are specific to certain sub-populations. For people with disabilities, the relationship between victimization from violence and one's own substance abuse deserves an inquiry, as previous research strongly suggested that people with disabilities are more likely to be victimized in the first place.

The present study will examine two major issues. First, it will survey factors associated with substance abuse-related violence among people with disabilities. The analysis in this study includes several correlates which are specifically associated with disability, such as disability onset, multiple disabilities and chronic pain, in addition to variables on demographic characteristics and friends' and families' substance abuse. Secondly, this study examines linkages between victimization, substance abuse, and gender The major hypotheses in this study include: 1) women with disabilities are more likely to be victims of substance abuse-related violence than are their male counterparts; 2) status of victimization from violence varies across disability conditions for both men and women; and 3) those victim of substance abuse-related violence are more likely to report their own substance abuse than are people with disabilities who have not been victims of substance abuserelated violence.

METHODS

SUBJECTS

A sample of 1,876 individuals with disabilities was obtained via a Medication and Other Drug Use Survey, conducted by the Rehabilitation Research and Training Center on Drugs and Disability, Wright State University School of Medicine. A computer generated, random probability sample design was utilized to select prospective respondents from central databases of state vocational rehabilitation agencies in Ohio, Michigan, and Illinois. African Americans were over-sampled to 25% for adequate representation.

The survey was conducted from August, 1994 to October, 1995. At the first stage of data collection, questionnaires were mailed to all randomly selected individuals, along with informed consent forms and post-paid return envelopes. The second stage of data collection included personal interviews and paper-pencil selfreport questionnaires. Project interviewers randomly recruited prospective respondents at 12 rehabilitation offices in Ohio and Michigan. Subjects either completed self-administered questionnaires or were interviewed individually by an interviewer The majority of the respondents in this study (69%) participated through the mail survey.