Substance abuse and lifestyle among an urban schizophrenic population: some observations.

While substance-abusing, schizophrenic populations have been the focus of recent research inquiries (Cuffel et al. 1993; Dixon et al. 1990; Drake et al. 1989; Miller and Tannenbaum, 1989; Mueser et al. 1990), few researchers have attempted to address the prevalence of drug and alcohol abuse among an urban, poor, predominantly minority schizophrenic patient group (Drake et al. 1989). Furthermore, we know of no published account that attempts to document, using ethnographic data, the strategies these patients use to acquire drugs and/or alcohol, and the lifestyles associated with such substance use. The majority of the patients in our research are African-American (roughly 80%) and almost all are on medical assistance, pointing to an indigent population with few external resources and little expendable income.