STAFF ATTITUDES AND RETENTION OF PATIENTS IN METHADONE-MAINTENANCE PROGRAMS

A study was made of the effect of staff commitment to abstinence-orien ted policies on retention of patients in methadone maintenance. Staff working in six public methadone programs in Sydney, Australia, were su rveyed in 1989 and 1992 using the Abstinence Orientation Scale. The as sociation of the clinics' median Abstinence Orientation scores with th e time in treatment of a random sample of their 1988-1989 admissions w as summarised using Cox regression. Patients' risk of discharge increa sed by a factor of three with every one unit increase in the clinics' median Abstinence Orientation scores, (RR 3.4, 95% CI 2.3-5.0). Abstin ence-oriented policies were shown to disadvantage ex-prisoners. (C) 19 98 Elsevier Science Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.