title: Evaluation of an alternative program for MMTP drop-outs: impact on treatment re-entry.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Retention in a Methadone Maintenance Treatment Program (MMTP) is predictive of abstaining from heroin and has other benefits. Many individuals leave treatment before they experience these positive outcomes.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  This research project targeted MMTP drop-outs with an intervention designed to assist them in returning to drug treatment.
  
  
  METHODS
  Subjects who had left MMTP within the prior 12 months were randomly assigned to intervention or comparison groups. The 3-month long intervention consisted of street outreach, cognitive behavioral groups, and individual counseling. Data were analyzed for 175 subjects who were out of treatment at baseline and who returned for a 6-month follow-up interview (Intervention group, N=111; Comparison group, N=64).
  
  
  RESULTS
  A total of 87% of subjects assigned to the intervention condition participated in at least one component. Intervention subjects who attended two or more cognitive behavioral group sessions were more likely than those who attended 0-1 sessions or those in the comparison group to have returned to treatment during the 6 month follow up time period (72 vs. 53 vs. 50%, respectively, P<0.05, chi square test).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  MMTP drop-outs need not be lost to the drug treatment system if special efforts are made to engage them in interventions developed to encourage treatment re-entry.
authors.affiliation: National Development and Research Institutes Inc., 71 West 23rd Street, 8th Floor, New York, NY 10010, USA. goldstein@ndri.org
authors.forename: Marjorie F
authors.initials: MF
authors.lastname: Goldstein
authors.forename: Sherry
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Deren
authors.forename: Sung Yeon
authors.initials: SY
authors.lastname: Kang
authors.forename: Don C
authors.initials: DC
authors.lastname: Des Jarlais
authors.forename: Stephen
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Magura
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D016009:Chi-Square Distribution; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006556:Heroin Dependence / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000523:psychology; D006801:Humans; D016015:Logistic Models; D008297:Male; D008691:Methadone / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D008875:Middle Aged; D015999:Multivariate Analysis; D009294:Narcotics / Q000627:therapeutic use; D010352:Patient Dropouts / Q000523:psychology / Q000706:statistics & numerical data
chemical_list: D009294:Narcotics; D008691:Methadone