Pretreatment dropout as a function of treatment delay and client variables.
Utilizing a retrospective analysis we examined factors correlated with preintake dropout in patients phoning to make intake appointments for cocaine treatment. Inquiries of 235 individuals calling our outpatient cocaine treatment program over a 7-month period were analyzed for relationships between patient age and gender; residence in the city where the program is located; marital status; referral source; reported problems with alcohol, marijuana, and heroin; reported last use of cocaine or other illicit stimulants; assigned counselor gender; person who made the appointment; days to the intake appointment; and attending the scheduled intake session. Only days to appointment was significantly (Wald = 12.4587, df = 1, p < .05 and chi 2 = 17.7, df = 8, p < .05) correlated with attending the scheduled intake session. Appointments scheduled the same day differed significantly (chi 2 = 4.3, n = 235, df = 1, p < .05) from appointments scheduled later. This suggests that client and situational variables are not significantly related to initial attendance and enhances the significance of systemic variables that are under a clinic's control, such as appointment delay. The results indicate that the longer the delay between the initial phone contact and the scheduled appointment, the less likely a client is to attend an appointment. Further, they suggest that the greatest decrease in initial attendance occurs in the first 24 hours following the phone inquiry. Taking a "microscopic" look at the appointment delay variable is valuable in understanding and addressing preintake dropout.
Festinger
D S
DS
Medical College of Pennsylvania, School of Medicine, Division of Addiction Research and Treatment, Hahnemann University, Philadelphia 19102-1192, USA.
Lamb
R J
RJ
Kountz
M R
MR
Kirby
K C
KC
Marlowe
D
D
D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D000437:Alcoholism / Q000523:psychology / Q000534:rehabilitation; D000553:Ambulatory Care; D003042:Cocaine; D015897:Comorbidity; D005260:Female; D006556:Heroin Dependence / Q000523:psychology / Q000534:rehabilitation; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D002189:Marijuana Abuse / Q000523:psychology / Q000534:rehabilitation; D009042:Motivation; D009515:New Jersey; D010352:Patient Dropouts / Q000523:psychology*; D012737:Sex Factors; D019966:Substance-Related Disorders / Q000523:psychology / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D014505:Urban Population; D014850:Waiting Lists
D003042:Cocaine