DO NEWLY-INTRODUCED LOW-THRESHOLD DETOXIC ATION UNITS REACH NEW GROUPS OF ILLEGAL DRUG-USERS

The conventional form of detoxication for illicit drug users in German psychiatric hospitals is an inpatient treatment approach connected wi th high admission prerequisites. These demand a high stage of motivati onal compliance from of the patients, e.g. the determination to contin ue with long-term treatment aiming at a life free of drugs. This strat egy is termed ''high threshold'' approach. A new form of inpatient tre atment is the ''low threshold''-approach offering intervals of some da ys or weeks free of drugs to illicit drug users, supported by professi onal detoxication strategies. This study compares client characteristi cs of illicit drug users treated at ''high threshold'' vs. ''low thres hold'' units. A new subpopulation of clients could be reached who are more advanced in their drug intake careers and less influenced by soci al pressure to enter treatment. The differences in clients treated can be explained rather by differences in admission prerequisites than by a more balanced distribution of sexes in the newly introduced detoxic ation programme.