How Can We Combat Excess Mortality in Harlem: A One Day Survey of Substance Abuse in Adult General Care

Abstract

Our hypothesis was that a one-day survey of all patients hospitalized on Adult General Care would demonstrate a need for expanded addiction services in a municipal teaching hospital in East Harlem. We interviewed 276 patients in Adult General Care on February 16, 1990 to assess whether they abused drugs or alcohol or were hospitalized for reasons related to substance use. Of the 276 patients interviewed, 18 percent used alcohol alone, 14 percent used drugs alone, 17 percent used both drugs and alcohol and 2 percent were hospitalized for reasons related to substance use. One hundred forty or 51 percent of all patients were admitted because of substance use and its sequelae or as a result of violence associated with the buying or selling of drugs. The percentage was highest on one medical floor where 89 percent of the patients were substance users and on medical floors in general where the average was 60 percent. Forty patients or 14 percent were known to be HIV seropositive. Given the high mortality in Harlem, the results of our one-day survey indicate a need for expanded addiction services.