title: Benefit-cost analysis of residential and outpatient addiction treatment in the State of Washington.
abstract: A benefit-cost analysis of full continuum (FC) and partial continuum (PC) care was conducted on a sample of substance abusers from the State of Washington. Economic benefits were derived from client self-reported information at treatment entry and at 9 months postadmission using an augmented version of the Addiction Severity Index (ASI). Average (i.e., per client) economic benefits of treatment from baseline to follow-up for both FC and PC were statistically significant for most variables and in the aggregate. The overall difference in average economic benefit between FC and PC was positive ($8,053) and statistically significant, favoring FC over PC. The average cost of treatment amounted to $2,530 for FC and $1,138 for PC (p < .01). Average net benefits were estimated to be $17,833 (9.70) for FC and $11,173 (23.33) for PC, with values showing statistical significance (p < .05). Results strongly indicate that both treatment options generated positive and significant net benefits to society.
authors.affiliation: Department of Epidemiology and Public Health, School of Medicine, University of Miami, USA.
authors.forename: M T
authors.initials: MT
authors.lastname: French
authors.forename: H J
authors.initials: HJ
authors.lastname: Salomé
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Krupski
authors.forename: J R
authors.initials: JR
authors.lastname: McKay
authors.forename: D M
authors.initials: DM
authors.lastname: Donovan
authors.forename: A T
authors.initials: AT
authors.lastname: McLellan
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Durell
mesh_terms: D000553:Ambulatory Care / Q000191:economics*; D003362:Cost-Benefit Analysis; D005260:Female; D017048:Health Care Costs; D006801:Humans; D007902:Length of Stay / Q000191:economics; D008297:Male; D017063:Outcome Assessment, Health Care / Q000191:economics*; D012112:Residential Facilities / Q000191:economics*; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D016320:Substance Abuse Treatment Centers / Q000191:economics*; D019966:Substance-Related Disorders / Q000191:economics / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D014861:Washington