OPIATE USERS AND THE 1ST YEARS AFTER TREATMENT - OUTCOME ANALYSIS OF THE PROPORTION OF FOLLOW-UP TIME SPENT IN ABSTINENCE

This second report on a follow-up study of drug users focusses on changes that occurred on a number of variables between intake and follow-up and during the follow-up period. The length of abstinence from opiates was considered as a proportion of the total follow-up period Overall there was a reduction in opiate use, in injecting and sharing equipment at follow-up. There had been, however, a high level of these risky activities during the follow-up period. Sustained abstinence from opiates was associated with increased employment, enhanced social stability and mental health. Intake drug use was strongly related to follow-up drug status. In particular, those who were injectors of multiple drugs at intake were far less likely to be long term opiate abstainers at follow-up than those who were not injectors at intake or injectors of opiates only.