TY - JOUR
KW - Adolescent
KW - Adult
KW - Depressive Disorder, Major
KW - Female
KW - Forecasting
KW - Health Status
KW - Heroin Dependence/complications/psychology/rehabilitation
KW - Humans
KW - Longitudinal Studies
KW - Male
KW - Middle Aged
KW - New South Wales
KW - Patient Acceptance of Health Care/statistics & numerical data
KW - Residential Treatment
KW - Substance Abuse Treatment Centers
KW - Treatment Outcome
AU - A. Williamson
AU - S. Darke
AU - J. Ross
AU - M. Teesson
A1 - 
AB - AIMS: (i) To describe the course of physical health among the ATOS cohort over 24 months; and (ii) to examine the effects of treatment, drug use patterns and social and psychological factors on health status over 24 months. DESIGN: Longitudinal cohort. SETTING: Sydney, Australia. PARTICIPANTS: A total of 615 heroin users recruited for the Australian Treatment Outcome Study (ATOS). FINDINGS: The general health of the cohort improved significantly over 24 months. Significant predictors of poor health over 24 months were: being older, being female, past month heroin, other opiate and tobacco use, past month unemployment and current major depression. Spending a greater proportion of time in residential rehabilitation (RR) was associated with better health over 24 months. No other treatment factors demonstrated a significant, independent relationship with health. CONCLUSIONS: The physical health of dependent heroin users is affected by drug use and psychosocial problems. RR treatment appears to be particularly beneficial to the health of heroin users, suggesting the importance of a comprehensive approach to improving health among this group.
BT - Addiction (Abingdon, England)
C5 - Opioids & Substance Use
CP - 3
CY - England
DO - 10.1111/j.1360-0443.2008.02475.x
IS - 3
JF - Addiction (Abingdon, England)
N2 - AIMS: (i) To describe the course of physical health among the ATOS cohort over 24 months; and (ii) to examine the effects of treatment, drug use patterns and social and psychological factors on health status over 24 months. DESIGN: Longitudinal cohort. SETTING: Sydney, Australia. PARTICIPANTS: A total of 615 heroin users recruited for the Australian Treatment Outcome Study (ATOS). FINDINGS: The general health of the cohort improved significantly over 24 months. Significant predictors of poor health over 24 months were: being older, being female, past month heroin, other opiate and tobacco use, past month unemployment and current major depression. Spending a greater proportion of time in residential rehabilitation (RR) was associated with better health over 24 months. No other treatment factors demonstrated a significant, independent relationship with health. CONCLUSIONS: The physical health of dependent heroin users is affected by drug use and psychosocial problems. RR treatment appears to be particularly beneficial to the health of heroin users, suggesting the importance of a comprehensive approach to improving health among this group.
PP - England
PY - 2009
SN - 1360-0443; 0965-2140
SP - 465
EP - 470
EP - 
T1 - Changes and predictors of change in the physical health status of heroin users over 24 months
T2 - Addiction (Abingdon, England)
TI - Changes and predictors of change in the physical health status of heroin users over 24 months
U1 - Opioids & Substance Use
U2 - 19207357
U3 - 10.1111/j.1360-0443.2008.02475.x
VL - 104
VO - 1360-0443; 0965-2140
Y1 - 2009
ER -