Opioid Agonist Maintenance for Probationers: Patient-Level Predictors of Treatment Retention, Drug Use, and Crime

ABSTRACT

This study examined outcomes and their predictors among 181 probationers enrolling in opioid agonist maintenance with methadone or levo-alpha-acetylmethadol (LAAM). Participants were interviewed at treatment entry and 2-, 6-, and 12-month follow-ups. Treatment retention and frequency of heroin use, cocaine use, and income-generating criminal activity were examined using survival and longitudinal analyses. Participants reported marked reductions in drug use and crime relative to treatment entry. A number of patient characteristics associated with various outcomes were identified. The findings support engaging probationers in treatment and highlight patient factors that might influence outcomes.

KEYWORDS:

• Legal pressure
• methadone
• motivation
• opioid agonist maintenance
• probationers

Acknowledgments

This study was supported by Center for Substance Abuse Treatment grant KD1 T1 12315. The authors would like to acknowledge the late Dr. Robert Battjes. The authors also wish to express their appreciation to the participants and staff of the 4 participating treatment programs.