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Coupons attract high-risk untreated heroin users into detoxification
J L Sorensen1, M F Costantini, T L Wall
1University of California, San Francisco.
Drug and Alcohol Dependence
|February 1, 1993
Summary
Coupon distribution successfully connected at-risk drug users to outpatient detoxification treatment. This HIV prevention strategy engaged individuals with no prior treatment, including those who shared needles, demonstrating increased access to care.
Area of Science:
- Public Health
- Addiction Medicine
- HIV Prevention
Background:
- Drug users, particularly those at risk of HIV infection, often face barriers to accessing outpatient detoxification treatment.
- Innovative outreach strategies are needed to engage this population in healthcare services.
- Coupon distribution has not been widely studied as a method for recruiting individuals into addiction treatment programs.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate the effectiveness of coupon distribution in recruiting drug users at risk of HIV infection into outpatient detoxification treatment.
- To compare the demographic characteristics and treatment outcomes of patients recruited via coupons versus other referral methods.
Main Methods:
- A study comparing patients recruited through coupon redemption (n=238) with those from other referral channels (n=1129).
- Analysis of demographic data, including prior treatment history, needle-sharing behaviors, ethnicity, and gender.
- Comparison of treatment stay duration and program completion rates between the two groups.
Main Results:
- Coupon recipients were significantly more likely to have no previous drug treatment (28% vs. 13%).
- Coupon subjects exhibited higher rates of recent needle sharing (39% vs. 31%) and included more ethnic minorities and men.
- No significant differences were observed in treatment stay length or program completion rates between coupon and non-coupon groups.
- A substantial 43% of coupon subjects returned for treatment within a year after the project concluded.
Conclusions:
- Coupon distribution is an effective strategy for engaging previously untreated drug users, including those at high risk for HIV, in detoxification services.
- This method successfully reached a population that may not otherwise seek treatment, highlighting the potential for increased access to care.
- The findings suggest that making treatment more accessible can lead to utilization by underserved populations of individuals with heroin use disorders.