Characteristics of a treatment-seeking population in outpatient addiction treatment center in Mexico.
Baseline patients’ characteristics are critical for treatment planning, as these can be moderators of treatment effects. In Mexico, information on treatment seekers with substance use disorders is scarce and limited to demographic characteristics. This paper presents and analyses demographic characteristics, substance use related problems, clinical features, and addiction severity in a sample of treatment seekers from the first multi-site randomized clinical trial implemented in the Mexican Clinical Trials Network on Addiction and Mental Health. The study was an adaptation of the U.S.’s National Drug Abuse Treatment Clinical Trials Network protocol CTN-0021, which evaluated the use of motivational enhancement treatment to improve treatment engagement and outcome for Spanish-speaking individuals seeking treatment for substance abuse.
A total of 120 participants were assessed prior to randomization. Chi square or F-tests were used to compare sites across variables. Spearman correlation was used to associate negative consequences of substance use and motivation to change. The majority of participants were men, and the most prevalent substances reported were alcohol, marijuana, and cocaine. Participants were predominantly on the contemplation or action stage of change, and this was correlated with the perception of the negative consequences associated with substance use. Participants reported a high prevalence of substance use related problems.
Conclusions: Data presented here constitutes the first attempt to characterize more widely the treatment-seeking population in outpatient addiction treatment settings in Mexico. Regardless of the limitations in sample size, this study uncovered special considerations that should be taken into account for outpatients in addiction treatment in Mexico, including substance use related problems, clinical features, and addiction severity. This study represents a novel approach to systematic assessment in addiction clinical studies in Mexico, and the establishment of the Mexican Clinical Trials Network on Addiction and Mental Health promises to help bridge the gap between research and practice and establish the opportunity for future implementation of evidence-based approaches in clinical practice and research.
Related protocols: CTN-0021