Treatment outcomes of stimulant misusers: one year follow-up results from the national treatment outcome research study (NTORS)

There are substantial gaps in knowledge about treatment outcomes for stimulant misuse. This paper investigates patterns of stimulant use and outcomes of stimulant misusers one year after starting treatment at 54 agencies within United Kingdom national services. In a prospective, longitudinal cohort study of 1,075 drug misusers, 637 were current users of stimulant drugs at intake to treatment. Most of the clients were multiple drug users. Stimulants were the main problem drug for 13% of the sample. The two most frequently used drugs were crack cocaine and amphetamine sulphate. The most frequently reported pattern of stimulant use was among heroin dependent clients who also used stimulants. The clients for whom stimulants were the main problem drug were most likely to approach residential rehabilitation programs for treatment. Overall, the stimulant users showed satisfactory outcomes with marked reductions in substance use and other problem behaviors at follow-up. Many clients with stimulant misuse problems were able to achieve substantial improvements after treatment within existing services.