• Yih-Ing Hser, Maria Elena Stark, Alfonso Paredes, David Huang, M Douglas Anglin, and Richard Rawson.
• Integrated Substance Abuse Programs, Semel Institute of Neuroscience and Human Behavior, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California, Los Angeles, CA 90025, USA. yhser@ucla.edu
• J Subst Abuse Treat. 2006 Apr 1; 30 (3): 219-26.

AbstractThe study examined long-term outcomes (mortality, substance use, mental health, employment, criminal involvement) among a cocaine-dependent sample. This 12-year follow-up study, conducted in 2002-2003, updates information obtained at intake and two face-to-face interviews conducted in 1990-1991 and 1991-1992 among 321 male cocaine-dependent veterans admitted to drug treatment in 1988-1989. At the 2002-2003 follow-up, 28 had died and 266 were interviewed. A mixed model examining the longitudinal relationships demonstrated that treatment was associated with lower levels of cocaine use over the 12-year follow-up period after entry into the index treatment and more stable recovery (i.e., continuously abstinent from cocaine for at least 5 years). Few measures at intake predicted stable recovery at follow-up: only being White (vs. being African American) and having greater confidence in ability to avoid cocaine use in high-risk situations. Individuals achieving stable recovery reported less psychiatric symptoms, criminal involvement, and unemployment during the year prior to the interview. Adverse outcomes were apparent for a significant number of cocaine-dependent users who continued to use cocaine for a long period.

27 keywords...

hide…