Author(s) | Outcome | Findings | Secondary outcome |
---|---|---|---|
Andersen (2018) [73] | Social support | Emotional social support was measured with a self-report scale and was significantly (p < .001) related to abstinence at follow-up. | 37% of the participants reported no use of illicit drugs in the time from release (discharge) to follow-up. |
Burling et al. (1994) [78] | Depression | Self-reported prevalence of serious depression had decreased significantly (p < .001) from admission to follow-up. | 63% of the participants reported not to have used any substances during the previous 30 days. |
Anxiety | Self-reported prevalence of serious anxiety had decreased significantly (p < .001) from admission to follow-up. | ||
Social support | There was no self-reported change in numbers of close relationships from admission to follow-up. | ||
Housing | The number of housed participants had increased with 89% from admission to follow-up. Participants were identified as housed if they did not report to have spent any nights outdoors, in shelters or abandoned buildings during the previous 3 months. | ||
Employment | The number of employed participants had increased with 57% from admission to follow-up. Employment was identified as working full- or part time, attending to school, treatment or being retired or disabled most of the previous 3 months. | ||
Cuskey et al. (1979) [70] | Employment | 17% (n = 5 of 30) was employed at follow-up. | 83% (n = 25 of 30) was not using drugs at the time of follow-up. The data was obtained from participants (44%), friends and family (37%) and public support system (19%). |
Education | 20% (n = 6 of 30) was involved in educational activity at follow-up. | ||
Criminal activity | 83% (n = 25 of 30) had not engaged in criminal activity at follow-up. The data were obtained from participants (44%), friends and family (37%) and public support system (19%). | ||
Donovan et al. (2001) [72] | Mental health | PTSD symptoms, which was measured with the Clinician-Administered PTSD scale (CAPS), had decreased significantly (p < .001 and Cohen’s d: 0.63) from pre-treatment to follow-up. | Days of alcohol use (Cohen’s d: 0.94), alcohol to intoxication (Cohen’s d: 0.81) and polysubstance use (Cohen’s d: 0.70) decreased significantly (p < .001) from pre-treatment to follow-up. Substance use was measured with the Addiction Severity Index (ASI). |
Flora & Stalikas (2012) [71] | Depression | Depression was measured with the Depression Anxiety Stress Scale (DASS) and showed a statistically significant decrease (p < .000) from admission to follow-up. | N/A |
Anxiety | Anxiety was measured with DASS and showed a statistically significant decrease (p < .033) from admission to follow-up. | ||
Negative emotions | Negative emotion was measured with a subscale accompanying the Differential Emotion Scale-Modified (DES-MOD) and showed a statistically significant decrease (p < .035) from admission to follow-up. Negative emotions were not defined in the current study, but refer to emotions like sadness, shame, remorse, embarrassment, fear or disgust. | ||
Positive emotions | Positive emotion was measured with a subscale accompanying the DES-MOD and showed a statistically significant increase (p < .000) from admission to follow-up. Positive emotions were defined as emotions such as gratitude, love, pride, sympathy, peacefulness, hope and sexual energy. | ||
Meaning of life | Meaning of life was measured with the Meaning in Life Questionnaire (MLQ) and had a statistically significant increase (p < .032) from admission to follow-up. | ||
Social support | Social support was measured with the Multidimensional Scale of Perceived Social Support (MSPSS) and had a statistically significant increase (p < .000) from admission to follow-up. | ||
Self-efficacy | Self-efficacy was measured with the Brief Situation Confidence Questionnaire (BSCQ) and had a statistically significant increase (p < .000) from admission to follow-up. | ||
Grella & Shi (2011) [76] | Mental health | Psychological distress (measured with the Brief Symptom Inventory) decreased (p < .0001 and Cohen’s d: 0.51) from admission to follow-up. | 38% of the participants reported no alcohol or drug use the prior 6 months to follow-up. |
Criminal activity | Self-reported number of arrests decreased 71% from admission to follow-up. | ||
Hubbard et al. (2003) [16] | Criminal activity | Predatory illegal acts (assault, robbery, burglary, larceny, forgery, stolen property) decreased 24% from pre-admission to follow-up. | Participants reported to have modified their substance use from pre-admission to follow-up. 8% decrease in heroin use, 39% in cocaine use, 8% in marijuana use and 22% in alcohol use. |
Employment | Self-reported full-time employment among the participants increased 26% from pre-admission to follow-up, which was a significantly (p < .01) increase. | ||
Ludwig et al. (2013) [77] | Mental health | Psychological distress (measured with the Brief Symptom Inventory at admission was not a significantly predictor of abstinence at follow-up. | N/A |
Self-efficacy | General self-efficacy at admission, measured with one single question, was a significant (p < .05 and Confidence Interval (CI): 1.10 to 2.03) predictor of abstinence at follow-up. The abstinence rate was 28% higher in participants with a maximum general self-efficacy. | ||
McGuire et al. (2011) [74] | Housing | Housing increased 58% for the participants in the Domiciliary Care for Homeless Veteran Program (DCHV). Housing increased 61% for the participants in the Health Care for Homeless Veterans (HCHV) programme. Housing was determined by the housing-status (having a house or not) the night before the follow-up interview. | N/A |
Porowski et al. (2004) [79] | Mental health | Even if participants who were abstinent at follow-up had significantly (p < .0001) less mental health problems than participants who had relapsed, both groups changed positively from pre- to post treatment. ‘Mental health problems’ were not further defined in the study report but has been defined by the World Health Organization as personal, environmental or social properties which facilitates a person’s well-being and ability to recover and contribute to and take part in society. | Self-reported abstinence from substance use throughout the 6-months following discharge increased significantly (p < .0001) from pre-admission to follow-up. 48% of the participants had not relapsed to substance use or had only used legal substances at follow-up. 61% of the participants had not used substances in the months prior to follow-up. |
Employment | Employment in the prior 30 days increased significantly (p < .0001) from pre-admission to follow-up for both groups. | ||
Education | Employment increased significantly (p < .0001) from pre-admission to follow-up for both groups. | ||
Criminal activity | Involvement in any criminal activity the past 30 days decreased significantly (p < .0001) from pre-admission to follow-up for both groups. | ||
Soyez et al. (2006) [75] | Mental Health | Psychological health increased significantly (p < .001) from admission to follow-up. | Use of alcohol and/or illegal drugs decreased significantly (p < .001) from admission to follow-up. Data were obtained using the European version of the Addiction Severity Index (EuropASI). |
Social support | Increased significantly (p < .001) from admission to follow-up. | ||
Employment | There was no change in employment from admission to follow-up. | ||
Criminal activity | Decreased significantly (p < .001) from admission to follow-up. Data were obtained using the European version of the Addiction Severity Index (EuropASI). | ||
Sung & Chu (2011) [83] | Employment | Participants who were unemployed at admission, had increased their employment rate by 28% at follow-up. ‘Employed’ participants were identified by self-reported employment-status (working at a legitimate job full- or part-time) the week before 12-month follow-up. | N/A |
Warren et al. (2007) [80] | Mental health | Mental health was measured using the Research And Development Short Form-36 (RAND SF-36 scale). A positive relation (p < .001) was found between a high RAND SF-36 score and self-reported alcohol- or cocaine use at follow-up. Longer time in treatment predicted a lower RAND SF-36 score at follow-up. | Longer time in treatment predicted less alcohol use at follow-up. Substance use was identified as self-reported frequency of heroin-, cocaine/crack and/or alcohol use in the 30 days prior to follow-up. |
Zhang et al. (2003) [37] |  | N/A | Self-reported days of overall drug use per month decreased (p < .001) from admission to follow-up. Self-reported days of primary drug use per month decreased (p < .001) from admission to follow-up. |