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Evaluation of a prison‐based naltrexone program

James Shearer (National Drug and Alcohol Research Centre, UNSW, Australia)
Alex D. Wodak (St Vincent’s Hospital, Darlinghurst, Australia)
Kate A. Dolan (National Drug and Alcohol Research Centre, UNSW, Australia)

International Journal of Prisoner Health

ISSN: 1744-9200

Article publication date: 1 March 2007

93

Abstract

The study evaluated the introduction of naltrexone in an Australian prison system for imprisoned male heroin users. Treatment outcomes were analysed for two sub‐samples taken from an unsuccessful randomised controlled trial. The first sample comprised 68 participants who were randomly allocated to naltrexone treatment. The second sample comprised 47 participants who commenced opioid pharmacotherapy during the study period. Thirteen per cent of subjects started naltrexone, with only 7% retained in treatment at six months. Six‐month retention was significantly lower in naltrexone compared to methadone (p = 0.0007). Poor patient acceptability and retention did not support oral naltrexone maintenance in this treatment group.

Keywords

Citation

Shearer, J., Wodak, A.D. and Dolan, K.A. (2007), "Evaluation of a prison‐based naltrexone program", International Journal of Prisoner Health, Vol. 3 No. 3, pp. 214-224. https://doi.org/10.1080/17449200701520149

Publisher

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Emerald Group Publishing Limited

Copyright © 2007, Emerald Group Publishing Limited

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