PATIENT COMPLIANCE AND MATERNAL/INFANT OUTCOMES IN PREGNANT DRUG-USING WOMEN

Abstract

Treatment compliance is an important variable in drug use intervention. For pregnant drug-misusing women, compliance with treatment has been particularly problematic, even in specialized and more intensive treatment programs. The present study, conducted from March 1999 to June 2000, compared maternal/infant outcomes in pregnant drug-using women who were either compliant or noncompliant with drug use interventions offered through a prenatal care clinic. Compliant women (N = 11) completed four therapy sessions (behavioral reinforcement of drug abstinence + brief motivational therapy), while noncompliant women (N = 20) participated in zero to three therapy sessions. The two groups were similar on demographic and drug use severity measures. Compliant mothers, however, gave birth to infants with higher birthweights than noncompliant mothers. Over half of compliant mothers were also drug-free at delivery, compared to one-fourth of noncompliant mothers. These data support an association between treatment compliance and birth outcomes, and highlight the need to develop strategies for improving compliance with such interventions.

• Pregnancy
• Drug use
• Drug addiction
• Vouchers
• Behavioral incentives
• Brief intervention
• Motivational therapy
• Compliance

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Hendrée E. Jones

Hendrée E. Jones, Ph.D., is currently an Assistant Professor in the Department of Psychiatry at Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine and Research Director for the Center for Addiction and Pregnancy. She received her Ph.D. in Experimental Psychology in 1997 from Virginia Commonwealth University—Medical College of Virginia. Her research interests include the examination of sex differences in substance misuse treatment initiation and outcomes. She has also conducted research in the development of both behavioral and pharmacological treatments for pregnant women who misuse illicit drugs. She has been Principal and co-investigator on a number of Federally-funded research projects.

Dace S. Svikis

Dace Svikis, Ph.D., is currently an Associate Professor in the Department of Psychology at Virginia Commonwealth University—Medical College of Virginia and Director of Promoting Healthy Pregnancies. She received her Ph.D. in Clinical and Experimental Psychology from the University of Minnesota in 1989. Her research interest involves the identification of women in obstetrical settings who misuse alcohol, nicotine, and illicit drugs. Her research has also focused on the development and application of novel behavioral treatments for pregnant women who misuse licit and illicit drugs. She has been Principal and co-investigator on a number of Federal and State-funded research projects.

Giao Tran

Giao Tran was affiliated with the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences at the Johns Hopkins School of Medicine at the time this article was written.