The functional limitations of clients with coexisting disabilitiesJournal of Rehabilitation, Oct-Dec, 2007
As a group, people with disabilities have a higher rate of alcohol and drug use problems when compared to the general population (Heinemann, Goranson, Ginsburg, & Schnoll, 1989; Moore & Li, 1998; Stern, Byard, Tomashefski, & Doershuk, 1987). A report by the National Association on Alcohol, Drugs, and Disability (NAADD) estimated that up to six million people with disabilities also have co-existing substance abuse problems and that these disabilities may present obstacles to recovery (de Miranda, 1998). Nelipovich and Buss (1991) estimated that between 15-30% of the disabled population abuse alcohol or drugs--a rate of about two times found in the general population. The incidence of alcohol and/or drug problems appears to vary by disability type; traumatic brain injury and spinal cord injury (50-75%) and mental illness (50%), tend to have the highest rates of abuse/addiction, while people with mental retardation (10%) have been found to have a rate comparable to that of the non-disabled population (Rehabilitation Research and Training Center (RRTC), 1996).
In a study regarding current alcohol use, Moore and Li (1994) reported that 71.5% of people with spinal cord injuries drank, followed by hearing impairment (60.9%) and visual impairment (57.5%). Drinking was cause for concern in this sample because 51% of the respondents were also taking prescription medication and still others had medical/health concerns that could create problems with even minimal amounts of alcohol. These complicating factors makes it more likely that even relatively low levels of alcohol or drug use may become problematic (i.e., abuse) for people with disabilities.
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