Effectiveness of inpatient drug detoxification: links between process and outcome variables

Abstract

The Psychiatric University Hospital of Zürich offers a 2-week residential detoxification treatment program for patients abusing illegal drugs. 96 out of 160 patients were interviewed at three intervals: upon admission, on the 10th day of treatment, and about 1 month after leaving the clinic. Approximately 17% of the patients were completely abstinent 1 month after treatment. About 50% of the patients could give up the consumption of particular drugs. For around one third of the dependents, the drug consumption remained the same or had increased. The analysis of the predictors of drug consumption after treatment stresses the importance of the social integration of the dependents before detoxification as well as of characteristics of the treatment process (relapse, dropping out of treatment, and referral to a follow-up program).