New study shows 24-hour treatment has higher success rate

The National Research Centre for Welfare, SFI, has just published the register-based study “Capacity in social drug abuse treatment”, which Alfa-Fredensborg’s director, Jørgen Maltesen, welcomes. He points out that “at a time when municipalities are increasingly referring citizens with addiction challenges to outpatient services and day treatment, there is a need for knowledge about the effect of day treatment and which forms of treatment have the best effect”. Today, 80 percent of all drug treatment is outpatient, and day treatment places, which continue to fall dramatically, account for only about 7 percent.

The study, which looks at age, gender, level of education and treatment offered, shows that people in residential treatment are more likely to have a successful treatment course than those in outpatient or day treatment. In addition, there is a positive correlation between 24-hour treatment and the probability of becoming drug-free two years after treatment. In fact, day treatment has a five percent higher success rate than outpatient treatment. It is also estimated that isolated people with substance use challenges who have no or an inadequate network often benefit more from residential treatment.

It also shows that repeat users of the treatment system are less likely to have a successful outcome than first-time users. In addition, the success rate is higher for women, citizens who are ethnic Danes, cohabiting or married, have children living at home or than primary education. The length of treatment also plays an important role, with a treatment course lasting 2-6 months having a 14 percentage points higher success rate than treatment courses lasting 0-2 months. Similarly, treatment programmes lasting 6-12 months have a 25 percentage points higher success rate than treatment programmes lasting 0-2 months.

The results of the study do not surprise Jørgen Maltesen, who has worked in residential treatment for over 15 years: “We often find that our residents have fought a years-long battle against the municipalities to get approved for residential treatment. Many need to get away from the environment that may be causing the addiction and to be helped on the path to a meaningful life free from addiction and relapse. In fact, more of our residents end up going on to education, jobs, internships or work trials.”

You can read the survey at this link:
http://socialstyrelsen.dk/udgivelser/kapaciteten-i-den-sociale-stofmisbrugsbehandling