Race, age, and back pain as factors in completion of residential substanceabuse treatment by veterans

Objective: Variables associated with successful completion of residential s ubstance abuse treatment were identified. Methods: The records of 340 veter ans admitted to a 120-day substance abuse treatment program were retrospect ively analyzed. The likelihood of successful treatment completion was calcu lated as a function of race, age, gender, psychiatric diagnosis, past suici de attempts, homelessness, legal history, childhood physical or sexual abus e, parental history of addiction, multiple substance dependence, medical pr oblems, and the race of the therapist. Univariate analysis and logistic reg ression analysis were used to identify variables that were significant pred ictors of treatment completion. Results: Overall, 66 percent of veterans co mpleted the program. Eighty-two percent of the veterans admitted to the pro gram were black, and 16 percent were white. The completion rate of black ve terans (71 percent) was significantly higher than that of white veterans (4 9 percent). Veterans completing treatment were significantly more likely to be older, by an average of two years, than those who did not complete trea tment. The association between younger age and failure to complete the prog ram was largely accounted for by younger black veterans. Veterans with back pain were significantly less likely to complete treatment than those witho ut back pain. Completion rates did not vary by the other variables examined . In the regression analysis that included age, race, and back pain, each v ariable, when adjusted by the other variables, was a significant predictor of completion. Conclusions: White patients were less likely to complete res idential substance abuse treatment in a program in which the majority of bo th therapists and patients were black. Younger black veterans and those wit h back pain were also less likely to complete treatment.