Brief motivational intervention at a clinic visit reduces cocaine and heroin use

Brief intervention is effective for alcohol misuse, but not adequately tested in the clinical setting with drug using patients. This study tested the impact of a single, structured encounter targeting cessation of drug use, conducted between peer educators and out-of-treatment cocaine and heroin users screened in the context of a routine medical visit.

A randomized, controlled trial was conducted in inner-city teaching hospital outpatient clinics with 3 and 6 months follow-up by blinded observers. Drug abstinence was documented by RIA hair testing. Analysis was limited to enrollees with drug-positive hair at baseline.

Among 23,669 patients screened 5/98-11/00, 1232 (5%) were eligible, and 1175 enrolled. Enrollees (mean age 38 years) were 29% female, 62% non-hispanic black, 23% hispanic, 46% homeless. Among those with positive hair at entry, the follow-up rate was 82%. The intervention group was more likely to be abstinent than the control group for cocaine alone (22.3% versus 16.9%), heroin alone (40.2% versus 30.6%), and both drugs (17.4% versus 12.8%), with adjusted OR of 1.51-1.57. Cocaine levels in hair were reduced by 29% for the intervention group and only 4% for the control group. Reductions in opiate levels were similar (29% versus 25%).

Brief motivational intervention may help patients achieve abstinence from heroin and cocaine.