FIELD EVALUATION AT THE CLINIC LEVEL - A PRAGMATIC APPROACH - THE GREAT T V LOTTERY (FROM CRITICAL CONCERNS IN THE FIELD OF DRUG ABUSE - PROCEEDINGS OF THE THIRD NATIONAL DRUG ABUSE CONFERENCE, INC, 1978)

• NCJ Number: 54343
• Author(s): J BRADSHAW; E S BLUMBERG; A MIKAILA
• Date Published: 1978
• Length: 8 pages
• Grant Number(s): H80 DA00955-03
• Sponsoring Agency: US Dept of Health, Education, and Welfare
• Corporate Author: Marcel Dekker, Inc
• Publication Format: Document
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America
• Note: CONFERENCE HELD IN NEW YORK (NY), 1976

Annotation

PROBLEMS OF COST AND CLIENT PRIVACY ASSOCIATED WITH THOROUGHLY SCIENTIFIC OUTCOME EVALUATIONS OF DRUG TREATMENT PROGRAMS ARE DISCUSSED, AND A LOW COST, PRAGMATIC METHOD IS SUGGESTED.

Abstract

COST IS PROHIBITIVE IN THE CONDUCT OF SCIENTIFIC OUTCOME EVALUATION STUDIES THAT REQUIRE LOCATING AND INTERVIEWING A SIZEABLE NUMBER OF EX-CLIENTS AFTER AN EXTENDED PERIOD OF TERMINATION FROM A DRUG TREATMENT PROGRAM. FURTHER, INQUIRING ABOUT THE CRIMINAL RECORD OF SPECIFIC PERSONS WHICH INVOLVES GIVING LAW ENFORCEMENT PERSONNEL KNOWLEDGE OF A PERSON'S DRUG ADDICTION PROBLEM IS A VIOLATION OF THAT PERSON'S PRIVACY. BOTH OF THESE PROBLEMS MAKE IT DIFFICULT FOR MOST DRUG TREATMENT PROGRAMS TO CONDUCT OUTCOME STUDIES THAT CAN PRODUCE UNEQUIVOCAL RESULTS. RECOGNIZING THE NEEDS FOR SOME SEMBLANCE OF VALID OUTCOME MEASUREMENTS, HOWEVER, AN INEXPENSIVE EVALUATION METHODOLOGY USED WITH ONE DRUG TREATMENT PROGRAM IS DESCRIBED. THE EVALUATION INVOLVED MAILING A QUESTIONNAIRE DESIGNED TO GAIN INFORMATION ON EMPLOYMENT, CRIMINALITY, AND DRUG USE TO A SAMPLE OF EX-CLIENTS, WITH THE PROMISE THAT WITH THE RETURN OF THE QUESTIONNAIRE, EACH REPONDENT'S NAME WOULD BE PLACED IN A LOTTERY FOR A TELEVISION SET. IN ADDITION, ATTEMPTS WERE MADE TO INTERVIEW EX-CLIENTS BY PHONE. THE RESPONSE RATE FROM BOTH METHODS WAS 25 PERCENT OF THE TOTAL SAMPLE INVOLVED. THE DATA OBTAINED WERE CORRELATED WITH THE INFORMATION OBTAINED ON EACH RESPONDENT DURING AND AT FINAL TERMINATION OF PROGRAM INVOLVEMENT. THIS WAS DESIGNED TO REVEAL CORRELATIONS BETWEEN DATA GATHERED DURING THE PROGRAM AND OUTCOME DATA, THUS PROVIDING SOME ASSURANCE THAT CERTAIN CHANGES EVIDENCED WHILE IN THE TREATMENT PROGRAM SHOULD FAVOR LONG-TERM CHANGES UPON TERMINATIONS. THE DATA ALSO REVEALED THE DEGREE OF EFFECTIVENESS OF PARTICULAR STAFF COUNSELORS. WHILE THE SERIOUS LIMITATIONS OF THE DATA OBTAINED ARE ACKNOWLEDGED, THE ATTEMPT IS CONSIDERED A PROFITABLE ENDEAVOR, GIVEN A PROGRAM'S INABILITY TO FUND A MORE SOPHISTICATED EVALUATION. TABULAR DATA ARE PROVIDED, ALONG WITH REFERENCES. (RCB)