rams.
10. Coping stress pattern: governmental assistance programs; and community based programs.
11. Value belief pattern: religious groups; and social action programs.
Health Perception Health Management Pattern
The use of cocaine in the general population in the United States is not high. While 37 percent of all Americans report the use of an illegal substance at least once in their lifetime, only 13.3 percent report such use over the past year (National Institute on Drug Abuse, 1993, p. 14). Persons in the 18 34 year old age group report the highest use rates. The use of an illegal substance at least once in a lifetime is reported by 62.6 percent of those individuals in the 26 34 year old age group, and by 55.8 percent of those individuals in the 18 25 year old age group. The highest level of use over the past year, however, is among the 18 25 year old age group 28.7 percent, with a 21.9 percent use rate among those individuals in the 26 34 year old age group.
In the Central Area of Seattle, however, the highest cocaine use level over the past year has been found to be the 13 18 year old age group, with an estimated use level of 31.2 percent. Most of this cocaine use is in the form of crack cocaine.
Cocaine is a stimulant extracted from leaves of the coca plant (Flynn, 1991, p. 17). The most available for in which cocaine is available is cocaine hydrochloride. This substance is used medically as a local anesthetic. The substance is also available on the streets in large pieces referred to as rocks and in small sheets referred to as crack (Lee, 1986, p. 7). Street cocaine may be inhaled, ingested, injected, or smoked (Erickson, 1987, p. 22).
Physiological effects include dilated pupils, increased blood pressure, increased heart rate, increased respiratory rate, and increased body temperature (Arif, 1987, p. 96). Repeated inhalation often causes nostril and nasal membrane irritation.
Psychologica...