Effective Interventions Unit:
The effectiveness of treatment for opiate dependent drug users:
an international systematic review of the evidence
Steven Simoens, Catriona Matheson, Karen Inkster, Anne Ludbrook*, Christine Bond
Department of General Practice and Primary Care, University of Aberdeen
*Health Economics Research Unit, University of Aberdeen
Scottish Executive Drug Misuse Research Programme
This document is also available in pdf format: part 1 (467k), part 2 (2.9mb)
CONTENTS
Glossary
Table of abbreviations
Executive summary
1 Introduction
2 Methods
3 Effectiveness reviews
4 Community maintenance
5 Community detoxification
6 Residential rehabilitation
7 Economic evaluation
8 Discussion
9 Policy recommendations
Bibliography
Appendix I Search strategies
Appendix II Study evaluation sheets
Appendix III Excluded studies
Appendix IV Summary of effectiveness reviews
Appendix V Summary of community maintenance studies
Appendix VI Summary of community detoxification studies
Appendix VII Summary of residential rehabilitation studies
Appendix VIII Summary of economic evaluations
LIST OF TABLES
Table 2.1 Summary of methodological quality of studies
Table 2.2 Costs and consequences relevant to assessing cost-effectiveness
Table 2.3 Results of the literature search
Table 2.4 Design of included articles
Table 4.1 Half life and time to reach peak plasma concentration for key drugs
Table 7.1 The cost-effectiveness of supplementary services provided with methadone maintenance
Table 7.2 The cost-benefit of psychosocial services
Remit
The Unit was set up in June 2000 to:
Identify what is effective - and cost effective - practice in prevention, treatment, rehabilitation and availability and in addressing the needs of both the individual and the community.
Disseminate effective practice based on sound evidence and evaluation to policy makers, DATs and practitioners.
Support DATs and agencies to deliver effective practice by developing good practice guidlines, evaluation tools, criteria for funding, models of service; and by contributing to the
implementation of effective practice through the DAT corporate planning cycle.
Dissemination Policy
1. We will aim to disseminate the right material, to the right audience, in the right format, at the right time.
2. The unit will have an active dissemination style. It will be outward looking and interactive. Documents published or sent out by the unit will be easily accessible and written in plain
language.
3. All materials produced by the unit will be free of charge.
4. Material to be disseminated includes:
Research and its findings
Reports
Project descriptions and evaluations
Models of services
Evaluation tools and frameworks for practitioners, managers and commissioners.
5. Dissemination methods will be varied, and will be selected to reflect the required message, and the needs of the target audience.
These methods are:
Web-based - using the ISD website 'Drug misuse in Scotland' which can be found at: http://www.drugmisuse.isdscotland.org/eiu/eiu.htm
Published documents - which will be written in plain language, and designed to turn policy into practice.
Drug Action Team channels - recognising the central role of Drug Action Teams in developing effective practice.
Events - recognising that face-to-face communication can help develop effective practice.
Indirect dissemination - recognising that the Unit may not always be best placed to
communicate directly with some sections of its audience.
6. This initial policy statement will be evaluated at six-monthly intervals to ensure that the Unit is reaching its key audiences and that its output continues to be relevant and to add value to the work of those in the field.
Effective Interventions Unit
Substance Misuse Division
Scottish Executive
St Andrew's House
Edinburgh EH1 3DG
Tel: 0131 244 5117 Fax: 0131 244 2689
EIU@scotland.gsi.gov.uk
http://www.drugmisuse.isdscotland.org/eiu/eiu.htm
Further copies are available from:
Effective Interventions Unit
Substance Misuse Division
Scottish Executive
St Andrew's House
Edinburgh EH1 3DG
Tel: 0131 244 5117 Fax: 0131 244 2689
EIU@scotland.gsi.gov.uk
http://www.drugmisuse.isdscotland.org/eiu/eiu.htm
We welcome feedback on this report.