Severely mentally ill patients with and without substance use disorders: characteristics associated with treatment attrition

Abstract

We aimed to describe characteristics associated with attrition for patients in community mental health treatment with chronic mental illness with and without substance use disorders. Baseline assessments included symptom severity, treatment satisfaction, social support, and a structured diagnostic interview. Treatment attrition was assessed at six months. At six months, 36% of the dual diagnosis group (n = 25), and 61% of the mental illness alone group (n = 23) were lost to follow-up. Attrition in the dually diagnosed group tended to be associated with less satisfaction with treatment, and higher mean symptom scores. There were no characteristics associated with attrition in the group of patients with mental illness alone. However, client satisfaction tended to increase among the mental illness alone patients that were successfully followed. The dually diagnosed group that remained in treatment had a significantly lower mean treatment satisfaction score than the mental illness alone group at six months. This type of investigation should aid in patient care and evaluation of treatment programs for persons with severe mental illness and co-occurring substance use disorders.