Pathways to abstinence: Two-year follow-up data on 60 abstinent former opiate addicts who had been turned away from treatment

TY - JOUR

T1 - Pathways to abstinence: Two-year follow-up data on 60 abstinent former opiate addicts who had been turned away from treatment

AU - Bacchus, L

AU - Strang, J

AU - Watson, P

PY - 2000

Y1 - 2000

N2 - Structural changes in the organization of drug treatment services in the northwest of England during the early 80s provided a unique opportunity to study a group of opiate addicts who were turned away from treatment. This paper reports on 60 opiate addicts who were abstinent at follow-up (2-3 years after their original referral). For the majority of subjects, any treatment received in the intervening period had been from a range of local, non-specialist treatment providers, including: general practices (n = 24) and local hospitals (n = 32). The subjects had also received assistance from non-statutory agencies (n = 35). Informal sources of support were drawn upon in the form of friends, family, and voluntary agencies. Social acceptance, legal problems, financial difficulties, and imprisonment were frequently cited as motivational factors that led to abstinence. At follow-up, improvements were reported in personal relationships and family circumstances, although there was less progress in relation to employment, finances, and housing. Increased involvement with the criminal justice system was significantly associated with a greater use of treatment services at follow-up. This paper presents the treatment and non-treat ment pathways that led to abstinence amongst this group of opiate addicts. It also points to the importance of including non-treatment samples in evaluations of treatment interventions. Copyright (C) 2000 S. Karger AG, Basel.

AB - Structural changes in the organization of drug treatment services in the northwest of England during the early 80s provided a unique opportunity to study a group of opiate addicts who were turned away from treatment. This paper reports on 60 opiate addicts who were abstinent at follow-up (2-3 years after their original referral). For the majority of subjects, any treatment received in the intervening period had been from a range of local, non-specialist treatment providers, including: general practices (n = 24) and local hospitals (n = 32). The subjects had also received assistance from non-statutory agencies (n = 35). Informal sources of support were drawn upon in the form of friends, family, and voluntary agencies. Social acceptance, legal problems, financial difficulties, and imprisonment were frequently cited as motivational factors that led to abstinence. At follow-up, improvements were reported in personal relationships and family circumstances, although there was less progress in relation to employment, finances, and housing. Increased involvement with the criminal justice system was significantly associated with a greater use of treatment services at follow-up. This paper presents the treatment and non-treat ment pathways that led to abstinence amongst this group of opiate addicts. It also points to the importance of including non-treatment samples in evaluations of treatment interventions. Copyright (C) 2000 S. Karger AG, Basel.

UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=0033764419&partnerID=8YFLogxK

U2 - 10.1159/000019026

DO - 10.1159/000019026

M3 - Article

VL - 6

SP - 141

EP - 147

JO - European Addiction Research

JF - European Addiction Research

IS - 3

ER -