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Reducing waiting time for substance abuse treatment does not reduce attrition
A I Alterman1, J Bedrick, D Howden
1University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine, Philadelphia.
Journal of Substance Abuse
|January 1, 1994
Summary
High attrition rates in substance abuse treatment persist. An "Orientation Group" intervention aimed to reduce patient wait times but did not significantly decrease the overall attrition rate.
Area of Science:
- Addiction Medicine
- Clinical Psychology
- Healthcare Management
Background:
- High attrition rates from substance abuse treatment pose a significant challenge to patient recovery and clinic efficiency.
- Extended waiting times for treatment entry are often cited as a contributing factor to patient dropout.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate the effectiveness of an "Orientation Group" intervention designed to reduce patient wait times and subsequently lower attrition rates in a substance abuse treatment clinic.
Main Methods:
- Implementation of an "Orientation Group" for new patients to expedite entry into substance abuse treatment.
- Comparative analysis of attrition rates before and after the intervention, alongside staff perceptions.
Main Results:
- The "Orientation Group" intervention did not lead to a statistically significant reduction in patient attrition rates.
- Clinical staff's initial impression that the intervention reduced attrition was not supported by the evaluation data.
Conclusions:
- The "Orientation Group" intervention, while intended to mitigate wait times, was ineffective in reducing substance abuse treatment attrition.
- Further research is needed to identify effective strategies for reducing high attrition rates in substance abuse treatment programs.