Carl D. Chambers

Predicting Attrition during the Outpatient Detoxification of Narcotic Addicts

Both institutional and ambulatory techniques have been utilized in the detoxification of addicts from narcotics. This study was designed to provide empirical data on attrition from one outpatient program for hard-core heroin addicts. The background and treatment characteristics of 86 addict-patients were analyzed. Education, marital status, and the abuse of drugs concurrently with heroin were the only variables which were found to be associated with whether an addict remains under treatment until the detoxification process is completed. A multivariant analysis isolated one variable, the concurrent abuse of other drugs with heroin, as the most potent predictor of remaining in treatment.