The Effectiveness of Methadone Maintenance Treatment: Patients, Programs, Services, and OutcomeLegislators, journalists and concerned citizens in general, when consider ing what to do about the plague of heroin addiction in large cities, ask an obvious question: "Is methadone treatment effective?" This question is a critical one since maintenance with methadone is at present the only prac tical alternative to leaving tens of thousands (in New York City, hundreds of thousands) of untreated addicts on the streets. Other treatments, although effective for limited groups, could not conceivably be expanded to stop heroin use in as much as 10% of the addicted population. The present study, sponsored by the National Institute on Drug Abuse, was undertaken to provide an authoritative answer to this question. Under the direction of a distinguished expert, the evaluation team made an inten sive examination of techniques and outcomes in six different methadone programs located in New York, Philadelphia, and Baltimore, and followed this by two yhears of data analysis and literature review. The present re port is the product of this work. The primary conclusion-namely that methadone treatment is substan tially effective in reducing heroin use and associated criminal behavior-is consistent with the findings of several previous independent evaluations. |
Contents
Status of Methadone Maintenance Treatment and Research | 1 |
Research Plan and Data Collection Procedure at the Programs | 15 |
Pretreatment Characteristics of 617 Male Methadone | 38 |
Copyright | |
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Other editions - View all
The Effectiveness of Methadone Maintenance Treatment: Patients, Programs ... John C. Ball,Alan Ross No preview available - 1991 |
The Effectiveness of Methadone Maintenance Treatment: Patients, Programs ... John C. Ball,Alan Ross No preview available - 2011 |
Common terms and phrases
addict patients administrative admission Alcohol amphetamines analysis arrests assessment attendance Ball JC barbiturates cannabis census cities clinic cocaine cohort composite score counseling services counseling sessions counselors crime-days criminal behavior detoxification director dispensing nurses drug abuse treatment effectiveness EMMT evaluation follow-up grams heroin addicts in-treatment Int J Addict interview intravenous drug involved last addiction period length of stay long-term male measure medical services medical staff ment metha methadone dose methadone maintenance patients methadone maintenance programs methadone maintenance treatment methadone programs Metrocity months Narcotic Addiction needle sharing NIDA number of patients nurse practitioner obtained offenses on-site opiate addiction Opioid outpatient overall past 30 days patient baseline patient outcome percent of patients physicians prior procedures rates reduction sample scheduled services provided six methadone maintenance six programs status T₁ Table tion travenous treatment and rehabilitation treatment domain treatment policy treatment programs treatment services treatment staff urinalysis urine specimens week York City