Follow-up of alcohol and/or cocaine dependents after their discharge from a Therapeutic Community: a pilot study

Abstract

In Spain, the Therapeutic Community (TC) constitutes a common model of treatment in the field of addictions, although there hardly exists any investigation about its efficiency and the persistence of its attainments. Aims: To evaluate the short, half and long term effects of treatment of addiction to alcohol or cocaine in the TC run by “Fundación Salud y Comunidad” (Foundation Health and Community). Design: descriptive pilot study, with a sequential design of cohort. 91 users completed a survey specifically designed to know their evolution at different follow-up periods (1, 3, 5 or 10 years after their exit from the TC): socio-demographic, psychoactive substance use, other variables related to the stay at the TC. Changes between before the TC and the present time regarding variables such as academic, labour, drug consumption, health, family and social adaptation and their criminal behaviour are described. Results: the cohorts showed a relatively common previous socio-demographic pattern having received a similar treatment. The users reported to have diminished the frequent consumption of the main drug, having 48.9% never relapsed even through an occasional consumption of the drug/s. Also they perceived to have improved their health and family relations, as well as their aggressive behaviour and legal problems linked with their consumption of drug/s. Conclusions: after their rehabilitation in a TC, the users report a global decrease of the consumption of drugs and perceive an improvement of their health, family relations, violence and other problems linked to their former drug use.