ASSESSING TREATMENT EFFECTIVENESS

 

Norman G. Hoffmann, Ph.D.

 

Methodological Issues

Research Results

 

Effective treatment of alcohol and drug addiction has been available in the United States for years. Thousands of patients have achieved and maintained recovery, as measured in long‑term abstinence and enhanced quality of life. The benefits of structured abstinence‑based treatment programs have been available in both public and private sectors. Despite this fact, the myth still lingers that current treatments are ineffectual in treating addiction. In part, this may explain why so few individuals are referred to treatment by physicians.

 

Many physicians do not routinely identify or refer patients who need treatment to abstinence‑based programs for alcohol and drug addiction. Less than 12% of almost 20,000 alcoholics and drug addicts were referred by physicians to treatment programs similar to those described here (Chappel, in press). Given the fact that addicted individuals are disproportionately represented in health care populations, such a statistic is problematic. The estimated prevalence rate of alcoholics and drug addicts in medical and psychiatric populations ranges from 25 % to 80 % (Schuckit, 1978). The wide range of prevalence estimates are accounted for by the nature of the populations under consideration and the methods used to identify addictions. For example, one would expect higher rates in psychiatric populations than in general medical populations. Further, prevalence estimates based on chart reviews, are likely to be lower than if patients are actually screened while on the units. Ironically, simple and effective screening is not only possible but practical in most medical settings.

 

A multi‑site study using a structured diagnostic interview determined a prevalence of addictive disorders of approximately 20% among general medical patients. For males under the age of 71, 35% were alcoholics, while for women the prevalence was 14 % (Hoffmann et al, 1989). The same study found four items, identified by the acronym BONS, that correctly identified almost all active alcoholics while holding the false positive rate to less than 10 % for patients with no history of addictions. Those four items were: (1) Have you even drunk enough so that the next day you could not remember what you had said or done? (Blackouts); (2) Have your family or friends ever told you they objected to your drinking? (Objections); (3) Have you ever neglected some of your usual responsibilities when drinking? (Neglect); and (4) Have you ever had the shakes after stopping or cutting down on drinking, or shakes the morning after drinking? (Shakes). Such a simple inquiry based on events and behaviors could be included in any medical examination.

 

However, identification and referral of patients is moot if no effective treatments can be identified. Not only do the majority of patients benefit from these programs, significant benefits are also provided to society as a whole. In particular, general health care costs are reduced substantially by addiction treatment. Immunology and addictions treatment are two of the few areas of medicine which can consistently demonstrate the potential for saving more health care dollars than are expended for their respective services.

 

The data presented here are from CATOR (the Comprehensive Assessment and Treatment Outcome Research), which is the largest independent evaluation service for addictions treatment programs in the United States. CATOR, as a division of New Standards, Inc., is not government supported, is not part of a governmental agency, and is not owned by a treatment provider. The function of CATOR is to act as an independent clinical auditor in evaluating the efficacy of the programs in achieving recovery from alcohol and other drug addictions and documenting correlates of such recovery.

 

Most of the abstinence‑based programs monitored by CATOR are outpatient and inpatient variations of the Minnesota Model based on an integration of professional services and Twelve Step support systems (Laundergen, 1982). This treatment is structured in form and content involving both group and individual therapies. The primary, or intensive, phase provides group and individual sessions daily for inpatients and at least nine hours of sessions per week for outpatients. This is followed by a less intensive and tapered continuing care of weekly outpatient services for a period of months to a year or two. Educational and family components are part of the typical content. In addition, services for other physical and psychiatric conditions may be included in some programs for those who suffer from more than just the addictions and their consequence

 

Although the programs monitored by CATOR tend to be variations of the Minnesota Model, psychiatrically based programs and aversion therapy programs are included as well. The common element to all of these programs is that the ideal goal is assisting the patient to remain abstinent from all mood altering drugs of abuse. To be admitted to these programs one must have a diagnosable addictive disorder. Thus, problem drinkers and drug misusers should not be admitted to these programs, nor included in this patient registry system.

 

The patient data to be presented here is from the current version of the general registry system and contains data from 49 inpatient and 33 outpatient programs serving clients from all over the United States. Although an increasing number of programs employ combinations of inpatient and outpatient services for a given case, this chapter will be limited to cases receiving either inpatient (ASAM Criteria Level III) or intensive outpatient (ASAM Criteria Level II) treatment (Hoffmann et al, 1991). The intent here is not to make a formal comparison of treatment modalities because many non‑clinical parameters affect treatment placement (Harrison et al, 1988). However, some global differences concerning severity and outcome will be noted. Continuing care (ASAM Criteria Level I) services are utilized by a proportion of these patients and its importance is discussed.

 

 

Methodological Issues

 

Most research falls into one of three levels of inquiry: survey, evaluation or experimental. Epidemiology utilizes survey research to assess the prevalence of certain phenomena and their relationships to various factors. Evaluation research is more focused in that it involves naturalistic research without modifying the existing practices and procedures, and attempts to provide baseline standards to specified existing practices in routine clinical settings. Experimental research employs the classical research designs which involve the manipulation of the environment and/or clinical practices and testing whether one condition is superior to the other. In a sense, as one moves from survey to evaluation to experimental research, one focuses in on a narrower and narrower perspective with increasing external control over the target of study.

 

Evaluation research, as a naturalistic research activity, seeks to explore relationships without experimental manipulation. This frequently results in a misunderstanding of the nature of the work by those schooled in traditional experimental procedures. In some cases, quasiexperimental designs must be employed (Campbell & Stanley, 1986; Cook & Campbell, 1979). In others, one must control for the lack of randomized assignment of subjects by using statistical approaches to partial out baseline differences or to match subjects on key parameters. The differences in approach between evaluation and experimental research work reflect differences in purpose more than differentials of scientific rigor

 

One of the perennial questions in evaluation research is the validity of self‑report data. This has engendered much controversy, but the mounting evidence is that self report data can be reliable if the proper care is taken in formulating the data gathering instruments and strategies (Babor, Stephens & Marlatt, 1986; Hoffmann & Harrison, 1988; O'Farrell et al, 1984; Verinis, 1983).

 

Research by CATOR has shown reasonable agreement between patients' and significant others' reports. A recent analysis of 625 cases revealed that when patients reported abstinence the family member contacted agreed in 88 % of the cases. Analyses also revealed that the level of agreement appeared to be related primarily to the salience of the event and concreteness of the question. (Salience refers to how memorable the event is; in general, arrests are more memorable than visits to a doctor for an illness.) Questions requiring subjective inference, such as interpretation of mood, had lower agreement than those involving observable behavior. The possible sensitivity of the item did not appear to be a factor. In short, self report can provide a good indicator of outcome if questions are clear and focus on behavior rather than subjective interpretations (Hoffmann & Ninonuevo, in press).

 

 

Another controversial issue is how to deal with cases which are lost to follow‑up during the post‑treatment period. Many researchers have simply declared these to be relapsed cases. However, this may be an overly pessimistic and simplistic assumption for the middle class individuals served by private programs.

 

More appropriate estimate of overall outcome can be presented as a range analogous to a confidence interval (Hoffmann & Miller, 1992). This provides a recovery range in which the outcomes for entire population would be expected to fall. The extremes of the projected recovery range are defined at the top by the observed outcomes of contacted cases and at the bottom by the estimate based on the assumption of relapse for all non‑contacted individuals. A narrower projected recovery range can be

 

defined by estimating the upper bound of the outcome

range by using prognostic indicators of the non‑contacted                             Table 1. Demographics

cases or partial data cases to estimate the outcome of

those cases who were not contacted at all. The lower

bound of this narrowed recovery range can be defined by                                         INPATIENTS  OUTPATIENTS

assuming that the non‑contacted cases have a sobriety rate                                          N = 6508     N = 1572

at a specified rate lower than the projection.                           VARIABLE                        %                 %

        For example, if one wishes to estimate the outcome

of all cases at one year after treatment, the following              Sex:

procedure might be employed. The cases contacted at six

months, but lost at a later interval, have been found in                  Male                               69                 73

our previous work to have a recovery rate lower than                 Female                            31                 27

those who continue to be followed. The recovery rate of

these single contact cases might be used to estimate the          Age:

outcome of those not contacted at all, and would yield a              Under 20                          6                  3

more conservative estimate of the upper bound of the                 229                                 27                 35

projected recovery range than the overall observed

recovery rate at one year. One could then assume that the          30‑39                              32                 35

recovery rate of the non‑contacted cases might be only               40‑49                              14                 19

half that of these single contact cases. This could be used           50+                                 18                  8

as a lower bound for the projected recovery range.

        A more sophisticated strategy would be to develop a        Ethnicity:

prognostic index based on contacted cases. Such an                    Whit                               87                 90

index would take into account differential probabilities of

recovery based on client characteristics. Non‑contacted              Black                               7                  6

cases could then be assigned a recovery probability to                 Other                               6                  4

estimate the overall projected recovery rate for all non­

contacted case. This estimate would be the upper bound         Marital Status:

of the narrowed projected recover range. One might                   Never Married                29                 34

reduce the projected recovery of non‑contacted cases by a          Separated / Divorced       22                 24

specified amount to allow for any unrecognized factors

that might result in lower recovery rates for these sub‑                Widowed                          3                  1

jects. This adjusted estimate would then be the lower                  Married                          46                 41

bound of the narrowed projected recovery range.

        Data are reported here only on followed cases; when          Degree:

outcomes are discussed, only the observed data rather                 None                              15                 12

than projections to non‑contacted patients are used.                     High school only              56                 56

        The sample consists of 6,508 ASAM Level III pat­ients

 (inpatients) and 1, 572 ASAM Level II patients (out‑                  Vocational / Associate      15                 17

patients). The primary focus of the analyses will be on                College Graduate             14                 15

the nature of the treatment populations, factors which

influence recover and benefits of treatment.                            Work Status:

                                                                                                Full time                          62                 71

Research Results

                                                                                            Part time                             10                  9

DEMOGRAPHIC CHARACTERISTICS. Demographically, the

inpatient and outpatient populations are relatively similar          Not working by choice         11                  6

except for age and work status. As seen in Table 1,                     Unemployed                    17                 14

outpatients are much more likely to be in their 20s, with

few persons over 50 or under 20. The fact that slightly

fewer outpatients are married and more have never ­

married may be related in part to the younger age of the

outpatients. The inpatients also include more minorities,

but educational attainment is essentially identical for the two groups.

 

Table 2. Personal and Family Incomes for Inpatients and Outpatients

 

INCOME RANGE   INPATIENTS N = 6508                            OUTPATIENTS N.‑ 1572

 

                     PERSONAL INCOME                                                             FAMILY INCOME PERSONAL INCOME                     FAMILY INCOME

< $10,000                                     29 %                            13 %                       28 %                 14 %

$10,001‑$20,000                           25                                 17                           28                          18

$20,001-30,000 19                         19                                 20                           20

> $30,000                                     18                                 36                           19                          36

Won't say                                     9                                  15                           5                            12

 

More of the outpatients are employed full time. However, this possible indicator of higher vocational functioning does not yield substantially higher incomes, as seen in Table 2. Over half of all the patients had personal incomes of $20,000 or less, but only about a third had family incomes in that range. Among both inpatients and outpatients, 36% reported family incomes in excess of $30,000. (Of all items in the CATOR database, personal income remains the question patients are most likely to refuse to answer. Even questions about sexual abuse or arrests have lower refusal rates. In the case of family incomes, the patient may be unable or unwilling to indicate the incomes of others in the family.)

In summary, inpatients and outpatients are similar in their demographic characteristics. Both populations are composed largely of white males, between the ages of 20 and 40, high school educated, employed and from middle to lower middle class households.

 

CLINICAL CHARACTERISTICS. In contrast, substantial differences are seen in the clinical characteristics of the two groups (Table 3).

 

Table 3. Clinical Characteristics

                                     INPATIENTS OUTPATIENTS

                                     N = 6508       N = 1572

VARIABLE                   %                 %

Diagnosis of dependence for:

    Alcohol                       82                 80

Prescription medications  12                  5

    Marijuana                   23                 19

    Stimulants                   7                    3

    Cocaine                      19                 15

    Opiates                       3                    1

Number of drugs used at least

weekly (alcohol not included):

1                               26                 22

2                               10                   6

3+                               5                   2

Number of substances, including alcohol,

used within 24 hours of admission:

    1                                32                 17

    2                                 9                  3

      3+                                4                   1

 

Although a comparable number of patients in both treatment groups are alcoholics, more than twice as many inpatients are dependent on prescription drugs, stimulants and opiates. Cocaine and marijuana dependence are much higher in the inpatient group.

Of the inpatients, 15 % admitted using at least two drugs other than alcohol on a weekly basis, but only 8

of the outpatients admitted such heavy drug use. Further, 45 % of the inpatients had used alcohol or other drugs within 24 hours of admission as contrasted to 21 % of the outpatients; 14 % of inpatients and 4 % of outpatients had used multiple

 

drugs within a day of admission. In summary, the inpatients were dependent on more drugs and were much more likely to have ingested such drugs just prior to admission.

A global clinical severity index was developed from the number of symptoms for alcohol and other drug dependence, the patterns of symptoms and frequency, and the recency of use. The results of this index are presented in Table 4. While over one third of the outpatients

 

Table 4. Clinical Severity Index

 

CLINICAL

SEVERITY                                  INPATIENTS           OUTPATIENTS

SCORE                                                          %           %

0‑2                                                                 15           36

3‑4                                                                 24           28

5‑6                                                                 28           18

7‑8                                                                 19           10

9‑12                                                                14             6

 

fell in the lowest ranges of this index, only about one in seven inpatients shows such low indications of severity. In contrast, over 40 % of inpatients scored in the higher ranges, as compared to only 20% of outpatients.

Other differentials can also be noted in subsequent discussion of outcome correlates. Inpatients have higher levels of medical care and vocational functioning prob­lems prior to treatment. These indications suggest a greater scope of involvement or later stage of illness for the inpatients. Therefore, when considering the outcome findings to follow, one must remember that these are not comparable populations. The placement issue is not which type of treatment is superior, but rather which patients require the structured control of an inpatient program to begin the recovery process and which patients can initiate that journey with intensive outpatient services.

 

CONTINUUM OF CARE. Previous analyses have revealed that the general observed one‑year abstinence rates tend to be in the 60 % to 65 % range. When the projected outcomes for all cases, including non‑contacted individuals, are computed, the results tend to fall within the range of 45% to 60% (Hoffmann & Miller, 1992). The observed abstinence rates for these samples under discussion are slightly over 60 % . In addition, more than 25 % report at least six months of complete abstinence in the year after treatment. Thus, the current data are in conformity with earlier estimates that treatment affords improvements for the majority of cases.

However, global recovery rates are relatively mean­ingless in light of the relationship to continuing care and involvement in self‑help support groups. The analogy here is to the diabetic who does not receive regular medi­cal attention following titration of insulin levels or to the cardiac patient who does not receive routine care following stabilization of hypertension. Addictions are chronic conditions that require a reasonable continuum of care for maximum benefit. Unfortunately, many health care coverages do not provide for such a continuum. Self-help groups can provide some needed support and, to an extent, can substitute for continuing care, but the real solution is to afford patients the continuum of care which appears to be required.

Previously published findings show that individuals who attend Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) after treatment are more likely to be sober than non‑attendees (Hoffman, Harrison & Belille, 1983; Hoffmann & Miller, 1992). The observation that patients who remain active in self-help groups are more likely to be recovering has been extended to a two‑year follow‑up of inpatients and outpa­tients (Hoffman & Harrison, 1988; Harrison & Hoff­mann, 1988). The current findings presented in Table 5 support these earlier reports. Both inpatients and outpa­tients who attend either AA or the continuing care provid­ed by the treatment program are more likely to remain abstinent than non‑attendees.

More detailed analyses of the interplay between AA and aftercare reveals that each appears to provide an additive contribution to continuing recovery. Only 45

of patients who received less than six months of continu­ing care and did not attend AA for the entire year re­mained abstinent. One year of AA attendance in the absence of at least six months of aftercare yields outcome of 69 % . One year of continuing care in the absence of continuous AA attendance yields and abstinence rate of 77 % . However, 90 % of those who attended both AA on a weekly basis and went to aftercare for the entire year maintained their abstinence. Clearly, addictions need to be addressed as chronic, not acute, conditions.

 

Table 5. One‑Year Abstinence Rates, by Continuum of Care and Self‑Help Support

 

INPATIENTS N = 6508                            OUTPATIENTS N = 1572

 

VARIABLE                               ATTENDING           ABSTINENT           ATTENDING            ABSTINENT

 

Months of continuing care attended in year:

                      0                              42 %                        53 %                         34 %                        48 %

                      1‑5                           32                            55                             33                            61

                      6‑11                          19                            71                             18                            68

                      12                               8                            88                             14                            89

AA attendance:

                      Non‑attendee            54                            47                             43                            49

            Regular attendee                 46                               74                             57                             80

 

Previous reports have presented evidence of the association between a variety of stressors and risk of relapse (Harrison & Hoffmann, 1989; Hoffmann & Miller, 1992). Analysis of those who relapsed after the first six months were found to have significantly higher stress levels during their first six months of abstinence than those who maintained their abstinence during the second six months (Harrison & Hoffmann, 1989). One might hypothesize that the greater the level of stress, the greater the probability of relapse. Continuing care services may be more appropriate to address some of these stressors, while AA might be as good or better at addressing issues of craving or other stressors. This could help account for the apparent additive effects of AA and continuing care.

MEDICAL CARE. Cost offset issues have been an interest of CATOR for the past decade. The evidence clearly indicates that treatment has the ability to offset much, if not all, of its costs (Holder, 1987). The data on medical care utilization from Table 6 are compatible with earlier work (Hoffmann, Harrison & Belille, 1984; Rode (DeHart), Hoffmann & Fulkerson, 1990; Hoffmann, DeHart & Fulkerson, 1993).

The inpatient utilization rates are consistently higher than the outpatient, both before and after treatment. Over one‑fourth of the inpatients had been admitted to a hospital for medical, psychical or detoxification admissions within the past year as compared to approximately one‑fifth of the outpatients. Almost one in four inpatients had a medical admission compared to one in six of the outpatients. Emergency room and outpatient clinic visits showed no significant differentials. The data suggest that a larger portion of the inpatients had serious medical problems. Some of these may be related to consequences of addiction. This again addresses the differences between the two treatment groups.

 

Nevertheless, both inpatients and outpatients show significant decreases in post‑treatment medical care utilization for expensive hospital services. Admissions for medical conditions are reduced by over 50 % . Previous studies have demonstrated that for recovering patients reductions are stable over a two‑year period. Relapsed patients, however, show a significant rise in hospitalizations in the second year after treatment (Hoffmann, DeHart & Fulkerson, 1993). This suggests that medical cost offsets are directly proportional to the recovery rate. Clinic visits showed little change before and after treatment suggesting no shift of cost from hospital to ambulatory services.

VOCATIONAL FUNCTIONING. Even more striking changes are noted in the improvements in vocational functioning as indicated by a decrease in work problems, absenteeism and working while under the influence. Table 7 shows two‑ to five‑fold decreases in job problems for both the inpatients and outpatients employed before and after treatment. As with medical care utilization, inpatients show grater prevalence of problems. Both absenteeism and tardiness are about 50% higher in the inpatient population as compared to the outpatients. Only for conflicts with superiors and accidents do the prevalence rates for the inpatients approach outpatient rates. Thirty percent of inpatients missed at least three days of work in the months prior to treatment compared to 16

of the outpatients.

Despite the initial differentials, both the inpatient and outpatient population show similar problem levels after treatment. The most pronounced drops occur in areas where the patient has control of the situation such as being late, completing work, etc. Problem areas involving others such as conflict with superiors and chance events such as injuries show less of a reduction.

 

Table 6. Medical Utilization One Year Before and After 'treatment

 

INPATIENTS N = 6508       OUTPATIENTS N =1572

VALUABLE                                                    Before            AFTER           BEFORE                After

Hospitalizations:          Medical                             23 %                10 %                 16 %                  7 %

                                  Psychiatric                           5                     2                        4                      1

                                  Detoxification                     16                     4                        9                      2

                                  Any Admission                   28                    14                      21                      9

Emergency room use:  Medical                              31                    22                      29                     22

                                  Psychiatric                           3                     1                        3                      1

                                  Any ER use                        30                    24                      29                     23

 


 

Table 7. Vocational Issues for Employed Patients One Year Before and After Treatment

 

 

 

Inpatients N = 3429        Outpatients N =1016

VARIABLE                                         BEFORE          AFTER                BEFORE          AFTER

Problems with

 

Missing work                  42 %                   6 %                    26 %                              4 %

Being late for work         35                       6                        26                                      6

Making mistakes             29                       5                        22                                      4

Completing work             22                       4                        15                                      5

Boss/supervisor conflict   27                       13                      24                                    10

On‑the‑job injury             10                       5                        7                                        5

 

Days of work missed during month before treatment and month before one year follow‑up:

 0                                 46                         79                      61                                       83

 1‑2                              24                         14                     22                                        13

 3‑5                              17                           4                    10                                        2

 6+                               13                           3                      7                                       2

 

 

OTHER COST AREAS. Moving traffic violations and other arrests show dramatic declines as well (Table 8). In addition, motor vehicle accidents are also significantly reduced the year after treatment. These events also involve cost issues to individuals and society. Accidents increase insurance rates, and arrests result in added costs for law enforcement, judicial procedures and corrections.

More than 20 % of these patients had at least one motor vehicle accident in the year prior to treatment. One‑fourth of those who had accidents report more than one. These are extremely high accident rates which affect all drivers. Even if one is not involved in an auto accident with an addicted person, insurance rates are still affected by these accidents. The post‑treatment reduction in accidents suggest that this may be another area where cost affects can be attributed to the treatment effort.

Moving violations and criminal arrests also provide evidence that treatment may be beneficial to law enforcement. If we are to develop effective measures to address crime, we must carefully consider the role of treatment. These data suggest that treatment may make a greater contribution to the control of crime than aggressive law enforcement makes to controlling the alcohol and drug problems in this country.

TREATMENT CAF DUI OFFENDERS. One of the more interesting aspects of treatment outcomes concerns persons arrested for driving while under the influence (DUI). Previous reports of the treatment of addicted DUI offenders have shown no difference in outcome between persons who had a DUI and were court‑referred and other outpatients. (Hoffmann, Ninonuevo et al, 1978; Hoffmann & Ninonuevo, in press).

A series of items in the CATOR forms now cover several possible forms of coercion, such as DUI conviction, other court actions or ultimatums from employers.

 

Comparison of 469 DUI offenders who were admitted to outpatient treatment and 709 non‑coerced outpatients, revealed that the DUI offenders actually had a better outcome than the non‑coerced patients. One year abstinence was reported by 68 % of the DUI offenders as compared to 60% of the non‑coerced outpatients.

Comparisons of data on AA attendance revealed that almost half of the DUI offenders attended weekly meetings during the year after treatment as compared to 43

of the other patients. The DUI offenders were also somewhat more likely to attend continuing care throughout the hear than the non‑coerced patients. Given the strong relationship between continued abstinence and both AA attendance and continuing care, the superior outcome of the DUI offenders appears reasonable.

Similar data are obtained from 669 DUI offenders who entered inpatient programs. Overall, their outcomes were comparable with other non‑coerced inpatients, and they were also at least as likely to utilize regular AA meetings and continuing care as their treatment peers. Thus, the evidence from over 1,000 DUI offenders who entered treatment suggests that treatment should be carefully considered in the adjudication of DUI offenders.

 

Conclusions

 

Evaluative studies can be used to estimate general outcome of addictions treatment as delivered in typical clinical settings. More importantly, such studies can demonstrate relationships between treatment components such as continuing care and the probability of recovery. In addition, such studies can also provide indications of cost offsets relevant to the determination of public policy and the selection of benefits in the private sector. These studies may further suggest clinical innovations to improve treatment efficacy. Naturalistic studies can help

focus experimental research on those areas with the highest potentials.

Several definite conclusions can be drawn from these data on over 8,000 patients who have entered treatment programs throughout the United States. One is that treatment needs to address addictions as a chronic illness. This means that a continuum of care extending for at least a year offers a better probability of recovery than treating addictions like a short‑term acute illness. The critic might question whether some of the differentials between those who used continuing care and self‑help support groups for the entire year after treatment might be accounted for by selection effects. That is, those individuals with the greater commitment to recovery may have been more likely to utilize the services offered and the support systems available than those with a lesser commitment. Undoubtedly, some of the differential may be accounted for by such selection. However, to suggest that all of the difference between a 45 % abstinence rate and a 90% abstinence rate is accounted for strictly by selection effect strains credibility. Rather, we should look at the higher rate as a target and employ experimental designs to determine what improvements might be possible through extending the continuum of care and employing pursuit care where individuals are actively followed if they do not attend the continuing care. Similarly, exploration is needed as to what might be done to encourage patients to attend self‑help groups. If patients do not feel comfortable with the traditional AA groups, could alumni or other groups provide the support in a context that would be more likely to keep the former patient involved? Evaluation studies provide clues for treatment improvement and a blueprint for experimental studies to explore practical and productive approaches to improve treatment.

 

 

Table 8. Other Comparison for One Year Before and After Treatment

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

                                                                                                INPATIENTS N = 6508            Outpatients N = 1 72

 

                                                                                    BEFORE %      AFTER %        BEFORE %      AFTER, %

VARIABLE

Motor vehicle accidents                         1                                  16                     7                      16                     7

                                                            2+                                6                      1                      4                      2

Moving traffic violation:                         1                                  19                     8                      30                     7         

                                                            2+                                4                      3                      7                      1

Criminal arrest:                                      1                                  10                     4                      11                     3

                                                            2+                                3                      1                      3                      1

           

 

 

The evaluation data provide valuable guidelines about how we as a society, as individuals and companies may wish to invest our health care dollar. Addictions treatment has the potential to be one of the best investments to reduce health care costs. Cost containment cannot be achieved only by restricting care. We must also spend money wisely in order to produce the desired impact on the needs for health care services. Immunizations and other prevention efforts should be at the forefront of our efforts. Yet, the United States currently has one of the lowest rates of infant immunization in the industrialized world! Instead, we expend billions of dollars for operations which are now being challenged for their ability to extend life. The data presented here suggest that perhaps we should be investing more money in the treatment of addictions as well as immunizing our children. Investing in prevention and treatment with positive cost offsets will reduce future health care costs.

The effective treatment of addictions can save billions of dollars for all segments of society. Improved vocational functioning is a benefit to management and labor. Reduced absenteeism and increased productivity benefit business. Retention of active and productive workers benefits labor unions. Helping to contain the health care costs is relevant to the public as well as private sectors. Potentials for reducing crime should get the attention of local, state and federal leaders. Removing drunk drivers through treatment and appropriate sanctions will make the roads safer for all. Finally, reducing auto accidents provides savings to every driver in the United States.

If one should ask, "Who cares about treating alcoholics or other drug addicts?" The answer should be that everyone who works, pays for health care, drives a car or pays taxes should care about addictions treatment.

Promoting improvements in the treatment of addictions may be one of the best investments we can make for our future and the generations to come.

 

 

REFERENCES

 

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Chappel J (in press). Long‑term recovery from alcoholism. Psychiatric Clinics of North America.

 

Campbell DT, Stanley JC (1986). Experimental and Quasi‑Experimental Designs for Research. Chicago, IL, Rand McNally College Publishing Company.

 

Cook TD, Campbell DT (1979). Quasi‑Experimentation: Design & Analysis Issues for Field Settings. Boston, MA, Houghton Mifflin Company.

 

Harrison PA, Hoffmann NG (1989). CATOR Report: Adult Inpatient Completers One Year Later. St. Paul, MN, Ramsey Clinic.

 

Harrison PA, Hoffmann NG (1988). CATOR Report: Adult Inpatient Completers One Year Later. St. Paul, MN, Ramsey Clinic.

 

Hoffmann NG, DeHart SS, Fulkerson JA (1993). Medical utilization as a function of recovery status following chemical addictions treatment. Journal of Addictive Diseases 12:97‑108.

 

Hoffmann NG, Halikas JA, Mee‑Lee D, Weedman RD (1991). ASAM Patient Placement Criteria for the Treatment of Psychoactive Substance Use Disorders. Washington, D.C., American Society of Addiction Medicine.

 

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Hoffmann NG, Harrison PA, Belille CA (1983). Alcoholics Anonymous after treatment: Attendance and abstinence, The International Journal of Addictions 18:311‑318.

 

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Hoffman NG, Ninonuevo F (In press, b). DUI arrestees vs. other outpatients in chemical dependency treatment: Initial status and 1‑year outcome. International Journal of Offender Therapy and Comparative Criminology.

 

Hoffmann NG, Ninonuevo F, Mozey J, Luxenberg MG (1987). Comparisons of court referred DWI arrestees with other outpatients in substance abuse treatment. Journal of Studies on Alcohol 48:591‑594.

 

Holder HD (1987). Alcoholism treatment and potential health care cost savings. Medical Care 25:52‑71.

 

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