CORRELATES OF TREATMENT FOLLOW-UP DIFFICULTY

Abstract

This study examines the correlates of treatment follow-up difficulty utilizing data from the District of Columbia Treatment Initiative (DCI). Findings indicate that (1) treatment completion is positively associated with a successful follow-up; (2) age and number of prior arrests are related to follow-up difficulty; (3) persons easiest to reach were more likely to be employed at follow-up; (4) persons difficult to locate were more likely to be using cocaine and to be arrested post-discharge; and (5) cocaine use at follow-up might be underestimated and employment at follow-up might be overestimated in findings derived from less than 80% of the target sample.

• Follow-up difficulty; Therapeutic communities

RESUMEN

Este estudio examina los rasgos que son correlacionados con la dificultad de seguimiento utilizando los datos del Distrito de la Iniciativa de Columbia. Los resultados indican que: (1) la terminación del tratamiento se asocia positivamente con un seguimiento exitoso; (2) la edad y el número de arrestos previos son relacionados a la dificultad de seguimiento; (3) las personas más fáciles de localizar para seguimiento tenian mas probabilidad de ser personas empleadas; (4) las personas mas difíciles de localizar tenian mas probabilidad de haber usado cocaina y de haber sido detenidas despues de haber dejado el tratamiento; y (5) el uso de cocaina en seguimiento quizás sea subestimado y el empleo en continuación quizás sobreestimado en hallazgos derivados del menos de 80% de la muestra del blanco.

RÉSUMÉ

Des données de l’Initiative de Traitement du District de Colombie sont utilisées pour determiner pourquoi il est difficile de suivre certains criminels pendant leurs traitements. Les résultats indiquent qu’il est plus facile de rester en contact avec des sujets si: (1) ils accomplissent leurs traitements; (2) ils sont jeunes et ont peu d’arrestations antérieures, (3) ils travaillent, et (4) ils n’utilisent pas de cocaïne et ne sont pas arrêtés aprés leur libération. Des résultats dérivés de moins de 80% de l’’échantillon de cible indiquent aussi que l’utilisation de la cocaïne est probablement sous-estimée alors que la participation dans le travail est probablement surestimée.

Notes

¹ The District of Columbia Initiative (DCI) was funded by the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA), the Center for Substance Abuse Treatment (CSAT), and subcontracts with Caliber Associates and Koba Associates, Inc. Special thanks are extended to Ron Smith, our Government Project Officer, for his strong support.

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Susanna Nemes

Susanna Nemes was a research associate at CESAR for five years. She was the Project Director of the DCI and coordinated the entire follow-up effort. Dr. Nemes has substantial experience with tracking substance abusers as part of follow-up evaluations and has prepared a follow-up manual based on her experiences. In addition to her research and publication efforts, Dr. Nemes is also a practicing clinical psychologist and is currently Director of Research at Danya International, Incorporated.

Eric Wish

Eric Wish is the director of CESAR and has been since its inception. Dr. Wish was the Principal Investigator on the DCI project. He has conducted a number of substance abuse studies and is very familiar with the evaluation of substance abuse treatment, as well as epidemiology. Dr. Wish has also published a number of articles concerning the validity of self-reported illegal behaviors and is currently an associate professor in the Criminology and Criminal Justice Department at the University of Maryland, College Park.

Brook Wraight

Brook Wraight was a research assistant at CESAR and has had previous experience working with substance abusing populations. She is currently working towards her M.A. in criminology at the University of Maryland, College Park, and is Project Manager for the Baltimore City Drug Court Evaluation.

Nena Messina

Nena Messina was a research associate at the Center for Substance Abuse Research (CESAR) for four years. At CESAR she was the Project Manager of the District of Columbia Treatment Initiative (DCI) Follow-up Study. Dr. Messina, in collaboration with Dr. Wish and Dr. Nemes, has recently been in the process of preparing several papers for publication based on the findings from the DCI follow-up effort. Dr. Messina is currently the project director at the University of California, Los Angeles, Drug Abuse Research Center.