Who comes for treatment: drug misusers at three London agencies
Sheehan, M.; Oppenheimer, E.; Taylor, C.
British Journal of Addiction 83(3): 311-320
1988
ISSN/ISBN: 0952-0481 PMID: 3365511 Document Number: 316175
A study of 150 drug misusers who were seeking treatment for the first time was conducted at three London treatment agencies-a drug treatment clinic, a crisis intervention centre and a therapeutic community-between 1984 and 1986. The three attracted misusers of somewhat different characteristics in respect of upbringing and current social behavior patterns and drug use. In general the clientele were predominantly young heroin users with an overall average of 9 years drug usage, which often began before they left school. The majority were injectors mostly using unsterile syringes which were often shared, and had on average over four years of injecting history. The group was disadvantaged with respect to education, unemployment and often had a difficult family background. The study highlights the need for encouraging drug misusers into earlier treatment, and into a variety of treatment centres.