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Brief motivational feedback improves post-incarceration treatment contact among veterans with substance use disorders
Tania M Davis1, John S Baer, Andrew J Saxon
1Center of Excellence in Substance Abuse Treatment and Education, VA Puget Sound Health Care System, Seattle, WA 98108, USA. tania.davis@med.va.gov
Objectives:
To test the efficacy of providing brief motivational feedback to increase post-incarceration substance use disorders (SUD) treatment contact.
Design:
Randomized clinical trial (feedback vs. control) with a 2-month post-incarceration follow-up.
Participants:
Veterans (N = 73) incarcerated in a county jail system who met SUD diagnostic criteria.
Measures:
Baseline assessment included the Addiction Severity Index, the Form-90 assessment of recent alcohol use, and a DSM-IV SUD criteria checklist. The primary outcome was Veterans Administration (VA) appointments. Secondary outcomes were the Addiction Severity Index-Followup and the Treatment Services Review.
Intervention:
All participants received baseline assessment. The feedback condition received personalized feedback and encouragement to explore ambivalence about change and treatment in a single interview.
Results:
Participants receiving feedback were more likely to schedule appointments at a VA addictions clinic within 60 days of their jail release dates (67 vs. 41%; P < 0.03). Though differences were not statistically significant, more feedback participants attended addictions clinic appointments (47 vs. 32%; ns) and were retained in addictions treatment at 90 days (31 vs. 14%; P < 0.08). Treatment appointments were more likely when intervention occurred close to release. Loss of participants to post-release follow-up interviews was >50%, limiting power to detect significant differences by self-report.
Conclusion:
Brief motivational feedback shows promise as a way to link incarcerated individuals to SUD treatment services.