Ten-year follow up of a cohort of heroin dependent prisoners

NDARC Staff

Sarah Larney and Kate Dolan

Rationale

Methadone maintenance treatment (MMT) is an effective treatment for opioid dependence that reduces criminal activity and mortality. This study will analyse these negative outcomes for a group of men recruited in prison in 1997-1998

Aims

To determine:

1. If duration of methadone treatment is associated with reductions in court appearances and time incarcerated
2. If opioid-using prisoners released from prison on MMT have reduced court appearances and incarceration episodes compared to opioid-using prisoners released from prison while not on MMT
3. If duration of methadone treatment is associated with reductions in mortality among ex-prisoners
4. If opioid-using prisoners released from prison on MMT are less likely to die than opioid-using prisoners released from prison not on MMT

   Design and Method

   
   

Outcomes for 382 opioid-using prisoners recruited in 1997-1998 will be examined by linking methadone treatment records, court appearance records, imprisonment records and mortality records.

Progress

Ethical approval for the project has been received and data linkage has commenced.

Funding

National Drug Law Enforcement Research Fund