Profiles of Heroin Addicts in Different Treatment Conditions and in the Community

• NCJ Number: 172895
• Journal: Journal of Psychoactive Drugs Volume: 30 Issue: 1 Dated: January-March 1998 Pages: 11-20
• Author(s): M A Eland-Goossensen; I A M Van De Goor; A J Benschop; H F L Garretsen
• Date Published: 1998
• Length: 10 pages
• Sponsoring Agency: Nationaal Centrum Voor Geestelijke Volksgezondheid
• Publication Format: Article
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America

Annotation

This Dutch study presents profiles of heroin addicts in three types of drug treatment (methadone, detoxification, and therapeutic community) and those not in treatment in the local community.

Abstract

The profiles are based on data at item-level of the revised Addiction Severity Index. In total, 310 heroin addicts were interviewed. The results show that on the one hand the community group and the methadone group are roughly comparable; and on the other hand, the detoxification and therapeutic-community groups have similar characteristics. The latter groups report significantly more psychological and social problems. The community group mentions the fewest problems with drug use and more illegal activities in the past month. The results show that large differences exist between the groups in psychosocial problems. Furthermore, they indicate that the methadone group has no specific pattern of problems. Two important groups outside treatment are identified with respect to matching: addicts under 25 years old and addicts with a non-Dutch cultural background. 7 tables and 28 references