Initial treatment dropout in patients with substance use disorders attending a tertiary care de-addiction centre in north India

BACKGROUND & OBJECTIVES: Dropout from substance use disorders treatment is associated with poor outcomes. Although many factors have been associated with an early dropout of patients, the reasons for dropping out of treatment prematurely remain poorly understood particularly in the Indian context. This study was aimed to study socio-demographic and clinical variables predicting initial dropout of patients attending a tertiary care de-addiction treatment centre in north India. METHODS: Information was extracted from the records of consecutive newly registered patients from January 2011 to December 2014. The patients who did not come for follow up within 30 days of the first contact were defined as initial dropouts. RESULTS: Data of 7991 patients could be retrieved. Majority of the sample consisted of male, married and employed individuals. Of them, 4907 patients (61.3%) were considered initial dropouts. Multivariate analysis revealed that after controlling for other factors, greater age, being employed, lower educational status, lesser duration of substance use, use of alcohol, opiate, tobacco, cannabis or sedative-hypnotic use but the absence of multi-substance use predicted initial drop out. INTERPRETATION & CONCLUSIONS: This study identified some socio-demographic and clinical variables which might predict treatment attrition in substance use disorders. Clinician's awareness towards these factors and tailor-made intervention might improve initial treatment retention. Future research could be directed to find the validity of this assumption.