Influence of time in treatment and follow-up duration on methadone treatment outcomes

Data for 422 methadone treatment clients in the National Treatment Improvem ent Evaluation Study (NTIES) were analyzed. Clients maintained continuously in methadone treatment for longer than 12 months and clients who left betw een 3-12 months were compared with clients treated for less than 3 months. Additionally, clients treated for 3-12 months who had short follow-up perio ds (6-month average) were compared with 3-12-month clients with long follow -up periods (Il-month average). Positive treatment outcomes including lower drug use, reduced risk of viral infection and sexually transmitted disease (through needle sharing and multiple sex partners), and less criminality w ere associated with both longer duration treatment and shorter follow-up pe riods. The findings suggested that continuous methadone treatment of 12 or more months is optimal, whereas stays of less than 3 months may be ineffect ive. Furthermore, stays of,3-12 months are likely to be beneficial over a r elatively short time span, for example 6 months.