What Happens to Drug Misusers? A Medium-Term Follow-Up of Subjects New to Treatment

• NCJ Number: 126916
• Journal: British Journal of Addiction Volume: 85 Issue: 10 Dated: (October 1990) Pages: 1247-1250
• Author(s): E Oppenheimer; M Sheehan; C Taylor
• Date Published: 1990
• Length: 4 pages
• Publication Format: Article
• Publication Type: Program Description (Model)
• Language: English
• Country: United Kingdom

Annotation

In a 2.5-5 year follow-up study of 150 drug misusers who were new to treatment at three London Drug Treatment agencies, a 77-percent follow-up rate was obtained.

Abstract

High rates of self-reported abstinence from opiates and other drug use were found. Some 37 percent of those followed-up were totally drug free at follow-up. Seventy-one percent were living in the community and, of those, 73 percent were opiate free, and 35 percent were totally drug free. Only 18 percent had injected in the 4 weeks prior to follow-up. Thirteen percent were in prison, and 12 percent were resident in a therapeutic community. Being told about the dangers of HIV had persuaded some people to give up using drugs. (Author abstract)