METHADONE MAINTENANCE - PROBLEMS OF EVALUATION - A REPORT ON AN EVALUATION OF METHADONE MAINTENANCE TREATMENT IN NEW YORK STATE

• NCJ Number: 18483
• Author(s): P VANSCHAICK
• Date Published: 1973
• Length: 37 pages
• Sponsoring Agency: National Science Foundation
• Corporate Author: State University of New York at Albany
• Sale Source: National Institute of Justice/
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America

Annotation

THIS REPORT EXAMINES THE WORK OF THE METHADONE EVALUATION UNIT AT COLUMBIA UNIVERSITY TO PROVIDE THE NEW YORK STATE ASSEMBLY WITH INFORMATION RELEVANT TO DECISIONS ABOUT DRUG ABUSE TREATMENT PROGRAMS.

Abstract

THE REPORT SHOWS THAT THE EVALUATION UNIT PRECISELY REPORTS THE NUMBERS RECORDED AND THAT THE METHADONE INFORMATION CENTER IS DEVELOPING AN EFFICIENT SYSTEM OF DATA COLLECTION. HOWEVER, THE EVALUATION UNIT HAS NOT SYSTEMATICALLY ASSESSED THE VALIDITY OF THE MONTHLY REPORTS OF PATIENT PROGRESS. THE ABUSE OF DRUGS BY PROGRAM PATIENTS IS PROBABLY SIGNIFICANTLY UNDER-REPORTED. THE EVALUATION DESIGN IS UNDERDEVELOPED. THERE ARE NO CONTROL GROUPS FOR STATISTICAL INFERENCE. THE PATIENT PERFORMANCE INFORMATION IS TOO GENERAL AND IS NOT RELATED TO A PATIENT CLASSIFICATION, AND THERE HAS BEEN NO STUDY MADE OF THE EXTENT TO WHICH PEOPLE IN TREATMENT WOULD HAVE IMPROVED WITHOUT TREATMENT. THIS REPORT RECOMMENDS, AMONG OTHER THINGS, THAT ABOUT FIVE PERCENT OF ALL PROGRAM BUDGETS BE EARMARKED FOR EVALUATION. (AUTHOR ABSTRACT)