TY - JOUR
KW - Adult
KW - Australia/epidemiology
KW - Cohort Studies
KW - Female
KW - Heroin Dependence/diagnosis/epidemiology
KW - Humans
KW - Incidence
KW - Male
KW - Mass Screening/methods
KW - Medical History Taking/methods
KW - Middle Aged
KW - Patient Acceptance of Health Care/statistics & numerical data
KW - Substance-Related Disorders/diagnosis/epidemiology
AU - D. Best
AU - E. Day
AU - V. Cantillano
AU - R. L. Gaston
AU - A. Nambamali
AU - R. Sweeting
AU - F. Keaney
A1 - 
AB - INTRODUCTION AND AIMS: Although there has been increasing research attention to the concept of addiction careers and treatment careers, there are few standardised measures for assessing illicit drug using careers. A new instrument for mapping lifetime drug use history (LDUH) was used to assess transitions in the initial stages of heroin use careers among illicit drug users. DESIGN AND METHODS: 58 lifetime heroin users completed a one-off researcher-administered interview in treatment settings in two English cities, London and Birmingham, about their histories of drug use, drug treatment and other key life events. RESULTS: The sample reported initiating heroin use at a mean age of 21 years and escalated to daily use by 23 years. On average, there was a gap of nearly 8 years before seeking treatment and at the time of interview the cohort averaged one-third of their heroin careers in treatment. However, there was marked variability across the group, with three discernible groups identified based on use patterns. While one group (n = 21) showed consistent escalation in total quantity of heroin used across the first year, the second group had an intermittent pattern of use and the third group reported an unchanging monthly heroin use pattern. These groups differed in the time taken to initiate treatment and in the proportion of their heroin careers in active use. DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSIONS: The instrument was acceptable to research participants and identified important variability in onset and escalation factors in heroin careers. The implications for therapeutic interventions and for clinical use of the instrument are discussed.
BT - Drug and Alcohol Review
C5 - Opioids & Substance Use; Measures
CP - 2
CY - Australia
DO - 10.1080/09595230701829488
IS - 2
JF - Drug and Alcohol Review
N2 - INTRODUCTION AND AIMS: Although there has been increasing research attention to the concept of addiction careers and treatment careers, there are few standardised measures for assessing illicit drug using careers. A new instrument for mapping lifetime drug use history (LDUH) was used to assess transitions in the initial stages of heroin use careers among illicit drug users. DESIGN AND METHODS: 58 lifetime heroin users completed a one-off researcher-administered interview in treatment settings in two English cities, London and Birmingham, about their histories of drug use, drug treatment and other key life events. RESULTS: The sample reported initiating heroin use at a mean age of 21 years and escalated to daily use by 23 years. On average, there was a gap of nearly 8 years before seeking treatment and at the time of interview the cohort averaged one-third of their heroin careers in treatment. However, there was marked variability across the group, with three discernible groups identified based on use patterns. While one group (n = 21) showed consistent escalation in total quantity of heroin used across the first year, the second group had an intermittent pattern of use and the third group reported an unchanging monthly heroin use pattern. These groups differed in the time taken to initiate treatment and in the proportion of their heroin careers in active use. DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSIONS: The instrument was acceptable to research participants and identified important variability in onset and escalation factors in heroin careers. The implications for therapeutic interventions and for clinical use of the instrument are discussed.
PP - Australia
PY - 2008
SN - 1465-3362; 0959-5236
SP - 165
EP - 170
EP - 
T1 - Mapping heroin careers: utilising a standardised history-taking method to assess the speed of escalation of heroin using careers in a treatment-seeking cohort
T2 - Drug and Alcohol Review
TI - Mapping heroin careers: utilising a standardised history-taking method to assess the speed of escalation of heroin using careers in a treatment-seeking cohort
U1 - Opioids & Substance Use; Measures
U2 - 18264877
U3 - 10.1080/09595230701829488
VL - 27
VO - 1465-3362; 0959-5236
Y1 - 2008
ER -