NCJ Number
124889
Journal
British Journal of Addiction Volume: 85 Issue: 4 Dated: (April 1990) Pages: 537-545
Date Published
1990
Length
9 pages
Annotation
In the Swiss Canton of Vaud, methadone treatment is mostly provided by the private medical practitioners. 562 opioid dependent persons followed at least one course of treatment between 1976 and 1986; at that time, 209 of them had completed a first course, 118 a second one, and 31 a third one.
Abstract
Evolution of the persons was observed from the end of their last course to the end of the study. Outcome was evaluated according to the rank of the last course. Whatever its rank, each course resulted in about 17 percent of stable abstainers and 6 percent of chronic opioid-dependent persons. In contrast, the risks to start a new course, to be imprisoned, and to enter into a therapeutic community showed a clear gradient with the rank of the course: they were about 38 percent, 27 percent, and 10 percent respectively one year after a first or second course and rose to 43 percent, 38 percent, and 28 percent one year after a third course. 2 figures, 3 tables, 14 references. (Author abstract)