The Effect of Prior Treatment on Treatment Success

Abstract

The characteristics of clients discharged from federally funded treatment facilities reporting to CODAP are analyzed in terms of several variables. These are the reasons for discharge (treatment completed, transfer or referral, or treatment not completed), the primary drug of abuse at admission (opiates and nonopiates), and the number of prior treatment experiences. Two independent replications using data for two consecutive quarters produced the same results, finding that the likelihood of completing treatment decreases as the number of prior treatment experiences increases. This relationship was found to apply to both opiate and non-opiate users. Although large differences exist in completion rates between opiate and nonopiate users without prior treatment experience, only small differences exist between opiate and non-opiate users who have had prior treatment. The largest difference in treatment outcome occurs between those with no prior treatment and those who have been treated before. Having one or more prior treatment experiences does not seem to have a major impact on the probability of completing treatment.