title: Patient factors related to early attrition from an outpatient cocaine research clinic.
abstract: The dropout rates among cocaine abusers in outpatient treatment programs have averaged 55%. We sought to find patient predictor variables associated with early attrition. Dropouts were more likely to be African-American or Hispanic-American, younger, with an earlier onset of substance abuse. Among minorities, those with more education were less likely to drop out. Patients who were less educated and smoked or injected cocaine were particularly prone to discontinue treatment prematurely. The implications of these findings, and promising interventions for reducing the dropout problem, are discussed.
authors.affiliation: College of Physicians and Surgeons, Department of Psychiatry, Columbia University, New York, USA.
authors.forename: V
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Agosti
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Nunes
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Ocepeck-Welikson
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001741:Black or African American; D000367:Age Factors; D000553:Ambulatory Care; D003042:Cocaine; D005260:Female; D006630:Hispanic or Latino; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D010352:Patient Dropouts; D012106:Research; D016037:Single-Blind Method; D015819:Substance Abuse, Intravenous / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D044465:White People
chemical_list: D003042:Cocaine