This article uses the behavioral model for vulnerable populations to evaluate the use of substance abuse treatment services among a sample of 926 substance abusers with one or more vulnerable health designations. A two-stage hierarchical logistic regression was completed to determine the influence of vulnerable and traditional need factors on the probability of receiving substance abuse treatment. Among traditional covariates, increased odds of receiving substance abuse treatment are associated with being either non-Hispanic White, Hispanic, having an income > US$5,000, and having a regular source of care. Among vulnerable covariates, injection drug use (odds ratio [OR] = 2.19, confidence interval [CI] = [1.46, 3.27]) and the receipt of public benefits (OR = 1.98, CI = [135, 2.92]) remain independent risk factors for the receipt of substance abuse treatment. Many who experience substance abuse disorders can also experience a multitude of other vulnerable health classifications, suggesting the need for a comprehensive, multidisciplinary approach to the treatment of substance use disorders.
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