30-year trajectories of heroin and other drug use among men and women sampled from methadone treatment in California.

ABSTRACT:

Background

This study examines 30-year trajectories of heroin and other drug use among men and women who were in methadone maintenance treatment in California in the late 1970s and interviewed in 1978-1981.

Methods

Nearly half (N=428; 46.8%) of the original study sample (N=914) was deceased. Of the remaining 486 subjects, 343 (44.3% female) completed a follow-up interview in 2005-2009 (70.6% of those not deceased). Average age at follow-up was 58.3 (SD=4.9) years for males and 55.0 (SD=4.1) years for females. Longitudinal data was obtained on their drug use, treatment participation, and criminal justice status over the follow-up period. Trajectory group modeling was used to identify distinctive trajectory groups based on monthly averages of heroin and other drug use per year

SUBMITTER: Grella CE 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3156933 | biostudies-literature | 2011 Nov

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature