Cocaine use and dependence in clients attending a drug treatment centre in Dublin

Abstract

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.