Obtaining follow-up interviews for treatment evaluation

Studies of the outcomes of substance abuse treatment are often handicapped because of subjects lost to follow-up. While follow-up data may be obtained from several sources, the follow-up interview often serves as the principal source of data. Difficulties are regularly encountered in locating and in...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Journal of substance abuse treatment 1995-03, Vol.12 (2), p.95-102
Main Authors: Desmond, David P., Maddux, James F., Johnson, Thomas H., Confer, Beth A.
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome
Adult
Biological and medical sciences
Female
Follow-Up Studies
Health Care
Humans
Interview, Psychological
Male
Medical sciences
Methadone - therapeutic use
Methadone Maintenance
methodology
Methodology. Experimentation
Opioid-Related Disorders - psychology
Opioid-Related Disorders - rehabilitation
Outcome and Process Assessment (Health Care)
Patient Dropouts - psychology
Prevention
Prisons
Psychology. Psychoanalysis. Psychiatry
Psychopathology. Psychiatry
Psychosocial Factors
Social research
Substance Abuse
Substance abuse treatment
Substance Abuse, Intravenous - psychology
Substance Abuse, Intravenous - rehabilitation
Techniques and methods
treatment evaluation
Treatment Outcomes
Treatment Programs
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Summary:Studies of the outcomes of substance abuse treatment are often handicapped because of subjects lost to follow-up. While follow-up data may be obtained from several sources, the follow-up interview often serves as the principal source of data. Difficulties are regularly encountered in locating and interviewing subjects not in treatment. From review of the literature on follow-up methodology and our own experience, we identified 10 procedures for effective follow-up. Application of these procedures is illustrated in a follow-up study of illicit opioid users treated in a methadone maintenance program. Follow-up interviews were obtained with 98% of the subjects. We recommend use of the 10 procedures by follow-up researchers, and we also recommend review of several previous publications on follow-up methodology.
ISSN:0740-5472
1873-6483
DOI:10.1016/0740-5472(94)00076-4