Status of Opioid Addicts 5 Years after Admission to Drug Abuse Treatment

Abstract

A sample of 2,099 Black and White male daily opioid drug users admitted to drug abuse treatment programs located across the United States were followed up 5 to 6 years after admission. Follow-up interviews focused on posttreatment behavioral functioning, including drug and alcohol use, treatment reentry, criminality, and employment. The sample included Black and White males in the nationally oriented Drug Abuse Reporting Program (DARP) who were admitted to methadone maintenance (MM), therapeutic community (TC), outpatient drug-free (DF), and outpatient detoxification (DT) programs; in addition, intake-only (IO) who never returned to receive treatment in the DARP were included as a comparison group. This study examined the status of these former addicts during the year immediately before the follow-up interview. It was found that 60% of the total sample reported no opioid drug use and 78% reported no daily use. Furthermore, over one-third had no illicit drug use at all during the year, as well as no arrests or incarcerations in jail or prison. Long-term status was slightly more favorable for persons treated in DARP, MM, TC, and DF programs, compared to DT and IO clients. Limitations on the interpretations of these results and suggestions for further research are discussed.