Work

Effects of Sustained Abstinence Among Treated Substance-Abusing Homeless Persons on Housing and Employment

Year: 2009

Type: article

Abstract: OBJECTIVES: We examined whether cocaine-dependent homeless persons had stable housing and were employed 6, 12, and 18 months after they entered a randomized controlled trial comparing 2 treatments. METHODS: One group (n = 103) received abstinence-contingent housing, vocational training, and work; another group (n = 103) received the same intervention plus cognitive behavioral day treatment. We examined baseline and early treatment variables for association with long-term housing and employment. RESULTS: Although the enhanced-treatment group achieved better abstinence rates, the groups did not differ in long-term housing and employment stability. However, consecutive weeks of abstinence during treatment (and to a lesser extent, older age and male gender) predicted long-term housing and employment stability after adjustment for baseline differences in employment, housing, and treatment. CONCLUSIONS: Our data showed a relationship of abstinence with housing stability. Contrasting these results with the increasingly popular Housing First interventions reveals important gaps in our knowledge to be addressed in future research.

Source: American Journal of Public Health

DOI: 10.2105/ajph.2008.152975

Authors: Jesse B. Milby, Joseph E. Schumacher, Dennis Wallace, Rudy Vuchinich, Stephen T. Mennemeyer, Stefan G. Kertesz

Institutions: RTI International, University of Alabama at Birmingham, UAB Medicine

Language: English

Topic: Homelessness and Social Issues

Subfield: General Health Professions

Field: Health Professions

Domain: Health Sciences

SDGs: Good health and well-being, Decent work and economic growth, No poverty

Open Access status: green

Funders: University of Alabama at Birmingham, National Institute on Drug Abuse