Thula, Mpho Abel (2009) Cocaine use and dependence in clients attending a drug treatment centre in Dublin. Psychiatric Bulletin, 33, pp. 88-91. doi: 10.1192/pb.bp.108.020107.
External website: http://pb.rcpsych.org/content/33/3/88.full
AIMS AND METHOD - To assess the number of cocaine-dependent clients attending a typical addiction clinic, using urine drug testing for screening and a structured clinical interview for diagnostic assessment.
RESULTS - Of the 419 clients whose urine records were analysed, 38 were regular users of cocaine (9.1%), with at least half of their urine samples positive for cocaine in a 12-week period; 84.2% of these regular users of cocaine satisfied the criteria for cocaine dependence(7.7% of the total number of those attending the clinic).
CLINICAL IMPLICATIONS - Publicly funded addiction treatment centres in Ireland are mostly designed for the treatment of opiate addiction. There is, however, a significant problem of concomitant cocaine dependence in these centres. Increased availability of psychological/behavioural treatment programmes with proven efficacy in cocaine addiction may help improve overall treatment outcome.
J Health care, prevention, harm reduction and treatment > Health care programme, service or facility > Substance disorder treatment unit
G Health and disease > Substance use disorder > Drug use disorder > Drug dependence
VA Geographic area > Europe > Ireland > Dublin
T Demographic characteristics > Person who uses substances (user / experience)
A Substance use and dependence > Prevalence > Substance use behaviour
G Health and disease > Substance use disorder > Multiple substance use (Poly-drug /Poly-substance)
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