Influence of a cash fee on outpatient heroin detoxification

Twenty-eight employed heroin addicts who were admitted to 10-day, outpatient detoxification and paid a modest fee were compared to 28 poverty-level, unemployed patients who received free detoxification. Patients were matched for admission date within +/- 30 days, sex, age within +/- 5 years, total length of heroin use within +/- 3 years, and parole/probation status. At the end of detoxification treatment, 9 of 28 (32.1%) patients who paid a fee, and 11 of 28 (39.3%) patients who were given free treatment had urines which were devoid of heroin derivative (PNS). Three of less patients in each group chose to remain in longer-term treatment (PNS). These results suggest that a patient fee did not favorably influence outcome of outpatient heroin detoxification.