Drug and alcohol treatment services effective for methamphetamine abuse.
BACKGROUND
Methamphetamine abuse has become a major public health problem as demonstrated by increases in the number of emergency room visits, substance abuse treatment episodes, and arrests attributable to methamphetamine manufacture and abuse. We examine the effectiveness of conventional substance abuse treatment in the recovery of individuals seeking voluntary treatment for methamphetamine abuse.


METHODS
At the request of the Iowa Department of Public Health, the Iowa Consortium for Substance Abuse Research and Evaluation contacted clients who had been admitted to voluntary treatment for methamphetamine abuse. Staff from the Consortium asked subjects to volunteer for follow-up interviews at designated intervals following admission. Agency staff conducted interviews based on the Mini International Neuropsychiatric Interview (MINI) at admission and at designated intervals and reported results to the Consortium for analysis.


RESULTS
Subjects were predominantly Caucasian and over one half were female with an average age of 30 years. The criminal justice system was a primary referral source. Reported psychiatric symptoms dropped substantially in the first 60 days following admission and appeared to remain low at 6 and 12 months. Most clients reported abstinence and employment and denied arrests at the 6-month interview. Outcomes were not correlated with psychiatric symptoms.


CONCLUSIONS
Psychiatric symptoms improved over time with usual substance abuse treatment. There was no evidence that referral by the court system or symptoms of antisocial personality disorder affected outcome. Conventional treatment resulted in sobriety, employment, and fewer arrests at 6 and 12 months following treatment.
Gunter
Tracy D
TD
Department of Psychiatry, Roy J. and Lucille A. Carver College of Medicine, University of Iowa, Iowa City, Iowa 52242, USA. tracy-gunter@uiowa.edu
Black
Donald W
DW
Zwick
Janet
J
Arndt
Stephan
S
D000328:Adult; D000697:Central Nervous System Stimulants / Q000009:adverse effects*; D003156:Community Mental Health Services / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D004651:Employment; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D001523:Mental Disorders / Q000209:etiology* / Q000523:psychology / Q000628:therapy; D008609:Mental Status Schedule; D008694:Methamphetamine / Q000009:adverse effects*; D012017:Referral and Consultation; D019966:Substance-Related Disorders / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D016896:Treatment Outcome
D000697:Central Nervous System Stimulants; D008694:Methamphetamine