Contemporaneous relationship between substance abuse treatment and poly-substance use: evidence from the Persistent Effect of Treatment Studies

J Subst Abuse Treat. 2005:28 Suppl 1:S83-90. doi: 10.1016/j.jsat.2004.09.003.

Abstract

Data from the Persistent Effect of Treatment Studies (PETS) are used to explore the relationship between duration of substance use treatment and simultaneous poly-substance using behaviors. Studying such contemporaneous relationships is especially important given the chronic nature of the substance-using population (McLellan, 2002) in the PETS study. Data were collected at intake to treatment programs and follow-up interviews were performed periodically at treatment program sites. One of the features of the analysis was the development of a poly-substance scale to measure multiple substance use. Multilevel models were implemented to examine the relationship between three levels of care (i.e., intensive outpatient, outpatient, and residential) and simultaneous poly-substance use. Contemporaneous effects of treatment were obtained such that higher duration of treatment was associated with drops in substance-using behaviors. This result supports the need for sustaining treatment for a population of chronic substance abusers.

Publication types

  • Research Support, U.S. Gov't, P.H.S.

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Chronic Disease
  • Female
  • Follow-Up Studies
  • Humans
  • Male
  • Mental Health Services
  • Self Efficacy
  • Substance-Related Disorders / classification*
  • Substance-Related Disorders / rehabilitation*
  • Temperance
  • Treatment Outcome