TREATMENT RETENTION, OCCUPATIONAL ROLE, AND COCAINE USE IN METHADONE-MAINTENANCE

The authors interviewed methadone maintenance patients (N = 264) repor ting cocaine use in the previous year to examine the relationship betw een treatment retention, occupational role, and continued cocaine use. Treatment retention was positively correlated with reduced cocaine us e. Patients who had been in treatment longer than 6 months were less l ikely to have used cocaine in the previous month than patients who had been in treatment 6 months or less. Patients who were employed full-t ime, were full-time home-makers, or full-time students were less likel y to have used cocaine in the previous month than those who were unemp loyed or employed only part-time or occasionally. The effects of occup ational role and treatment retention were additive.