TY - JOUR
T1 - Suspected determinants of enrollment into detoxification and methadone maintenance treatment among injecting drug users
AU - Schütz, Christian G.
AU - Rapiti, Elisabetta
AU - Vlahov, David
AU - Anthony, James C.
N1 - Funding Information:
Supported by the National Institutr on Drug Abuse Intramural ResearchP rogram ,mci Grants DA 04334a nd DA 05911.
PY - 1994/10
Y1 - 1994/10
N2 - Our primary aim in this study has been to evaluate selected conditions thought to influence the entry of injecting drug users (IDU) into detoxification and methadone maintenance programs, making use of a prospective study design to strengthen a cross sectional investigation of these conditions. To begin our investigation, we analyzed cross-sectionally gathered data on 2879 IDUs who had been recruited through extensive community outreach efforts and who were interviewed at the time of recruitment. We then tested our hypotheses about suspected determinants of entry into treatment by analyzing prospectively gathered data on 1039 active drug users who had no recent history of being treated for drug problems. Among these 1039 IDUs (a subset of the initial cross-sectional sample), 144 entered a detoxification program between their recruitment interview and their next follow-up interview conducted about six months after recruitment (range: 3.5-9.5 months) and 64 entered a methadone maintenance program during that observation interval. Using multiple logistic regression analyses, we found that a recent drug overdose, relatively higher frequency of injecting drugs, and a history of prior arrest or treatment were independent predictors of entry into detoxification. Being married or living with a partner, being female, a lengthy duration of drug use (> 10 years), and a history of prior treatment were independent predictors of entry into methadone maintenance. These findings shed light on what appears to be a different profile of suspected determinants of entry into a detoxification treatment versus methadone maintenance treatment, and help to clarify some potential differences between treated and untreated drug users that ought to be considered when evaluating results of investigations with IDU participants recruited solely from treatment settings.
AB - Our primary aim in this study has been to evaluate selected conditions thought to influence the entry of injecting drug users (IDU) into detoxification and methadone maintenance programs, making use of a prospective study design to strengthen a cross sectional investigation of these conditions. To begin our investigation, we analyzed cross-sectionally gathered data on 2879 IDUs who had been recruited through extensive community outreach efforts and who were interviewed at the time of recruitment. We then tested our hypotheses about suspected determinants of entry into treatment by analyzing prospectively gathered data on 1039 active drug users who had no recent history of being treated for drug problems. Among these 1039 IDUs (a subset of the initial cross-sectional sample), 144 entered a detoxification program between their recruitment interview and their next follow-up interview conducted about six months after recruitment (range: 3.5-9.5 months) and 64 entered a methadone maintenance program during that observation interval. Using multiple logistic regression analyses, we found that a recent drug overdose, relatively higher frequency of injecting drugs, and a history of prior arrest or treatment were independent predictors of entry into detoxification. Being married or living with a partner, being female, a lengthy duration of drug use (> 10 years), and a history of prior treatment were independent predictors of entry into methadone maintenance. These findings shed light on what appears to be a different profile of suspected determinants of entry into a detoxification treatment versus methadone maintenance treatment, and help to clarify some potential differences between treated and untreated drug users that ought to be considered when evaluating results of investigations with IDU participants recruited solely from treatment settings.
KW - Acquired immunodeficiency syndrome
KW - Human immunodeficiency virus
KW - Injecting drug use
KW - Substance abuse
KW - Treatment entry
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U2 - 10.1016/0376-8716(94)90095-7
DO - 10.1016/0376-8716(94)90095-7
M3 - Article
C2 - 7851280
AN - SCOPUS:0027965858
SN - 0376-8716
VL - 36
SP - 129
EP - 138
JO - Drug and alcohol dependence
JF - Drug and alcohol dependence
IS - 2
ER -