Follow-up study of heroin-addicted persons admitted for treatment in Barcelona

A follow-up study of 73 heroin-addicted persons three years after their first visit for treatment in 1981 to the Department of the Prevention of Drug Dependence and Guidance and Treatment of Drug Dependent Persons at Barcelona, Spain, was compared to a study of the same persons carried out after one year. The comparison showed that after one year 37 per cent of the cases had a favourable and 36 per cent an unfavourable outcome; for 27 per cent of the cases, information was lacking. After three years, 56 per cent showed a favourable and 30.3 per cent an unfavourable outcome; for 13.7 per cent information was lacking. Certain factors, such as a longer duration of treatment, a change in residence from an urban to a rural environment and treatment in a therapeutic community, were found to have enhanced the likelihood of achieving favourable results. Detoxification when not supplemented with supportive measures aimed at rehabilitation had a poor outcome.