title: Gender differences in Afghan drug-abuse treatment: an assessment of treatment entry characteristics, dropout, and outcomes.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The current study examines gender differences in drug-abuse treatment (DAT) entry, dropout, and outcomes in seven DAT centers in Afghanistan. This is the first study to examine gender differences in DAT programming in Afghanistan.
  
  
  METHODS
  A prospective cohort design of 504 women and men in seven DAT centers in Afghanistan was used in this study and the analyses examined whether gender differences exist for patients (1) at treatment entry, (2) at treatment dropout, and (3) for treatment outcomes.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Gender differences were found at baseline for patient characteristics, drug use, crime, and social and occupational functioning. Results showed a trend that women remained in treatment longer than men. Looking at gender differences in treatment success, results showed greater reductions in drug use and crime, and greater social functioning among women.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Results provide preliminary evidence for potential treatment success of women-tailored DAT programming in Afghanistan. Results also indicate that DAT appears to be successful among Afghan men; however, lower positive outcomes for men when compared to women suggest that more efforts should focus on tailoring DAT programming to the specific needs of Afghan men as well. Study limitations are addressed, and important policy implications are discussed.
authors.affiliation: a Pacific Institute for Research and Evaluation , Louisville , KY , USA.
authors.forename: Melissa Harris
authors.initials: MH
authors.lastname: Abadi
authors.forename: Stephen R
authors.initials: SR
authors.lastname: Shamblen
authors.forename: Matthew
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Courser
authors.forename: Knowlton W
authors.initials: KW
authors.lastname: Johnson
authors.forename: Kirsten
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Thompson
authors.forename: Linda
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Young
authors.forename: Thom
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Browne
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000346:Afghanistan; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D054624:Health Status Disparities; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D015233:Models, Statistical; D010352:Patient Dropouts / Q000523:psychology / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012737:Sex Factors; D016320:Substance Abuse Treatment Centers / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D019966:Substance-Related Disorders / Q000523:psychology / Q000628:therapy*; D016896:Treatment Outcome
keywords: Afghanistan; drug-abuse treatment; gender; international; outcomes