title: Abstinence at Successful Discharge in Publicly Funded Addiction Health Services.
abstract: Abstinence at successful discharge in substance use disorder treatment is important to reducing relapse rates and increasing long-term recovery from substance use disorders. However, few studies have examined abstinence as an essential component of successful discharge. This study examined rates and correlates of reported abstinence (nonuse of drugs 30 days prior to successful discharge) among clients attending publicly funded treatment in Los Angeles County, California. Finding show that only 36% of clients who were successfully discharged reported abstinence. Black clients were less likely than non-Hispanic Whites to report abstinence at successful discharge. Clients in methadone treatment programs were less likely than outpatient clients to report abstinence, whereas clients referred to treatment through the legal system (Proposition 36) were more likely to report abstinence compared to self-referred clients. Findings underscore the importance of systematic assessment of abstinence in determining successful discharge and provide a basis for further examination of strategies to improve abstinence and reduce relapse.
authors.affiliation: Department of Health Policy and Management, Mailman School of Public Health, Columbia University, 722 West 168th Street, New York, NY, 10032, USA. jf2584@cumc.columbia.edu.
authors.forename: Jemima A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Frimpong
authors.affiliation: School of Social Work, University of Southern California, 655 West 34th Street, Los Angeles, CA, 90089, USA.
authors.forename: Erick G
authors.initials: EG
authors.lastname: Guerrero
authors.affiliation: Department of Information Systems and Decision Sciences, Mihaylo College of Business and Economics, California State University at Fullerton, 2250 Nutwood Avenue, Fullerton, 2831, USA.
authors.forename: Yinfei
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Kong
authors.affiliation: Los Angeles County Department of Public Health, Substance Abuse Prevention and Control, 1000 South Fremont Avenue, Building A-9 East, Alhambra, CA, 91803, USA.
authors.forename: Tina
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Kim
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D016739:Behavior, Addictive / Q000628:therapy*; D005260:Female; D005380:Financing, Government; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010351:Patient Discharge; D016320:Substance Abuse Treatment Centers; D019966:Substance-Related Disorders / Q000628:therapy*; D016896:Treatment Outcome