Trends in Drop Out, Drug Free Discharge & Rates of Re-Presentation: A Retrospective Cohort Study of Drug Treatment Clients in the North West of England

The researchers sought to determine if successful completion of drug treatment programs was related to the referral method. Success was determined to mean that the individual was discharged from treatment as drug free. The referral methods included voluntary entry and court-mandated entry. The trend analysis was based on data from the north west of England, Cheshire and Merseyside region, which was chosen for research because it has a rural and urban population mix with a high substance abuse rate. This area is also the only region in the United Kingdom with complete admission and discharge data spanning ten years.

The researchers determined that the proportion of individuals dropping out of drug treatment programs in the studied area increased from 7.2% in 1998 to 9.6% in 2001-2002. The proportion of those discharged as drug-free (DDF) has fallen from 5.8% to 3.5%. Drop out was more likely in later years of the study period, by those of younger age, and by criminal justice system referrals. The proportion re-presenting to treatment in the following year increased from 27.8% in 1998, to 44.5% in 2001-2002, for those DDF, and from 22.9% to 48.6% for those who dropped out.