The continuing care project: A multi-arm randomised controlled trial of a continuing care telephone intervention following residential substance use treatment

Background: Previous research suggests telephone-delivered continuing care interventions are effective in reducing rates of substance use. This study assessed the effectiveness of telephone-delivered continuing care for people who had stayed in a residential alcohol and other drug (AOD) treatment facility for at least 4-weeks. Methods: Participants were 277 (20 – 71 years; M = 38 years, SD = 10.4; 58 % male) individuals attending residential AOD treatment. Following discharge participants were randomised to: i) 12 weekly telephone sessions; ii) 4 weekly telephone sessions; or iii) no telephone sessions (control group). A multi-centre prospective, randomised, open, blinded endpoint (PROBE) design compared three study arms with follow up at 3- and 6-months. Primary outcome was the odds of complete abstinence and the days of AOD use for those not completely abstinent at 6-months. Results: At 6-months follow-up, the odds of being completely abstinent in the past month was not significantly different between the three study arms (p > 0.6) and the number of days abstinent was not significantly different (p > 0.4). Participants across all arms were more likely (p < 0.001) to be completely abstinent compared to baseline [12-session OR = 12.86 (5.4, 30.9); 4-session OR = 9.52 (4.0, 22.4); Control OR = 7.02, (3.4, 14.7)]. Conclusions: The results suggest that the residential programs are associated with positive long-term impacts among participants who complete at least 4 weeks of treatment. Further continuing care research should include those who do not remain in treatment for at least 4 weeks, as they may be likely to benefit the most.