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Pretreatment dropout as a function of treatment delay and client variables
D S Festinger1, R J Lamb, M R Kountz
1Medical College of Pennsylvania, School of Medicine, Division of Addiction Research and Treatment, Hahnemann University, Philadelphia 19102-1192, USA.
Addictive Behaviors
|January 1, 1995
Summary
Longer delays to intake appointments significantly decrease attendance for cocaine treatment. Scheduling cocaine treatment intake on the same day as the initial call greatly improves patient attendance.
Area of Science:
- Addiction Medicine
- Public Health
- Psychology
Background:
- Preintake dropout is a significant barrier in addiction treatment.
- Understanding factors influencing initial attendance is crucial for effective treatment engagement.
Purpose of the Study:
- To identify factors correlated with preintake dropout in patients seeking cocaine treatment.
- To examine the relationship between appointment delay and initial attendance for cocaine treatment.
Main Methods:
- Retrospective analysis of 235 individuals calling an outpatient cocaine treatment program.
- Data collected on patient demographics, referral source, substance use history, and appointment details.
- Statistical analysis to determine correlations between variables and attendance at the scheduled intake session.
Main Results:
- Only the number of days to the intake appointment was significantly correlated with attending the scheduled session.
- Appointments scheduled on the same day showed significantly higher attendance rates compared to later appointments.
- Client and situational variables were not significantly related to initial attendance.
Conclusions:
- Appointment delay is a critical systemic factor influencing preintake dropout in cocaine treatment.
- Reducing the delay between initial contact and intake appointment, especially within 24 hours, can improve attendance.
- Focusing on clinic-controlled variables like appointment scheduling is key to reducing preintake dropout.