Predictors of length of abstinence among drug abuse patients of a behavioral modification program in specialized center in Saudi Arabia

BACKGROUND: Long-term abstinence in substance abuse patients is a great clinical challenge. A novel behavior modification program (BMP) for ensuring abstinence in substance abuse patients was being run in a tertiary care hospital in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. The aim of this study was to evaluate the factors associated with the length of abstinence in substance abuse patients who were enrolled in this BMP. METHODS: This was a record-based study, where patients were identified from the records of Al-Amal hospital. The study group consisted of adult male patients suffering from drug addiction, exposed to an initial detoxification treatment program and subsequently enrolled into BMP during the year 1424 Hijri, the reason of period selection that it was before the modification of inpatient BMP in the facility toward more outpatient one. Multiple stepwise regression with backward elimination was done to identify factors independently associated with length of abstinence in the BMP program. RESULTS: Mean (SD) age of the participants was 31.9 (8.4) years and a majority had 6–9 years of education (65%), were single (63%), and unemployed (72%). Presence of mood disorder (b = 111.3; 62.3–160.3), good program attendance score (b = 33.2; 21.0–45.4), and higher total number of previous hospital admissions (b = 6.4; 3.1–9.6) were associated with a longer length of abstinence in the BMP program. CONCLUSION: A number of factors as described above can be utilized to modify the BMP and target different groups of patients who are less likely to stay abstinent for a longer duration, ensuring greater effectiveness of the BMP.