Introduction: High rates of early hospital discharge are often observed in crack cocaine users and are related to adverse outcomes and increased public spending. This study evaluated clinical and sociodemographic factors associated with early treatment discharge among crack users.
Methods: The sample comprised 308 men diagnosed with crack cocaine use disorder (crack only), aged 18 to 65 years, admitted between 2013 and 2017 to a male-only hospital unit to treat substance use disorders. Sociodemographic and clinical data were obtained using the Addiction Severity Index, 6th version, and a Sociodemographic Questionnaire.
Results: Early discharge (within 7 days) was significantly associated with lack of own income, insufficient family support, being single, and recent homelessness. Regarding drug use, lower treatment retention was related to younger age of crack use onset, recent alcohol use, and nicotine use. Factors such as age, skin color, and educational level showed no relation to the outcome.
Conclusion: Our findings suggest that presence of characteristics verifiable at the time of admission may be related to crack users' treatment retention. Identification of these factors can contribute to target interventions in order to improve treatment adherence in crack cocaine users.
Keywords: Treatment retention; cocaine use disorder; crack dependence; drug addiction; substance use disorder.