ABSTRACT

The purpose of this study is to compare the demographic and clinical characteristics of clients leaving treatment prior to completion of the 29-day residential stay at a multicultural addiction treatment centre. The charts of 446 clients (62% from the United States of America, 29% from the Caribbean region, 9% European) were reviewed. The mean age was 39.7 years, 33% female, with 91% using alcohol, 49% using cocaine, 25% using opioids (single drug 27%, poly-drug use 73%), with mean 13.1 years of harmful use, 33% using prescribed mental health medications and 46% having had prior residential treatment. Of 446 clients, 76 (17%) did not complete treatment stay. A comparison of clients leaving early and those completing stay revealed no difference in age (38.6 vs 39.9 years) or years of harmful use (11.7 vs 13.4 years). There were trends toward those leaving to be more often female (42 vs 31%, p < 0.10) and non-Caribbean (20% American or European vs 12% Caribbean, p < 0.10). Clients who left early were more likely to use opioids (41 vs 22%, p < 0.001) and less likely to use alcohol/sedative (83 vs 1%, p < 0.02). Cocaine/stimulant use did not differ (49 vs 49%). Those leaving treatment early had greater use of mental health medications (50 vs 29%, p < 0.001). Prior treatment was not significantly different (53 vs 44%). An analysis of the 128 clients from the Caribbean region showed 15 clients (12%) failed to complete treatment. Those leaving treatment early were more likely to be female (53 vs 26%, p < 0.05), had a trend toward being younger (35.6 vs 39.9 years, p = 0.19) and had fewer years of harmful use (8.1 vs 13.1, p < 0.02). Ethnicity (73 vs 74% African) and alcohol/sedative (87 vs 94%), cocaine/stimulant (53 vs 65%), and opioid use (0 vs 4%) did not differ.
Those leaving were more likely to use mental health medication (47 vs 12%, p < 0.001) and there was a trend toward prior treatment (40 vs 23%, p < 0.10).