The Drug and Alcohol Withdrawal Network (DAWN) is a home-based withdrawal service based in Perth, Western Australia. Literature on outcomes, costs and client attitudes towards this type of home-based detoxification in Australia is sparse. Therefore, this study assessed these factors for clients enrolled over a 5-year period (July 2011–June 2016). Client experience was explored through semi-structured interviews with 10 clients. Over the study period, 1800 clients (54% male, mean age 38 years) were assessed, and there were 2045 episodes of care. Although most first-episode clients (52%) listed alcohol as the primary drug of concern, the proportion listing methamphetamine increased from 4% in 2011–12 to 23% in 2015–16. In 94% (n = 639) of withdrawal detoxification episodes with completed surveys, clients used their‘drug of primary concern’most days or more often at baseline; this had reduced to 23% (n = 149) at the conclusion of detoxification. Five-year direct costs were A$4.8 million. Clients valued the person-centred holistic approach to care, including linking with other health providers. Barriers included low awareness of the program and difficulties finding an appropriate support person. Further exploration of cost-effectiveness would substantiate the apparently lower per client cost, assuming medical suitability for both programs, for home-based relative to inpatient withdrawal.

Item Type:	Refereed Article
Keywords:	alcoholism, community health services, home care services, street drugs, substance-related disorders, substance withdrawal syndrome
Research Division:	Medical and Health Sciences
Research Group:	Public Health and Health Services
Research Field:	Health and Community Services
Objective Division:	Health
Objective Group:	Public Health (excl. Specific Population Health)
Objective Field:	Substance Abuse
UTAS Author:	Wright, CM (Mr Cameron Wright)
ID Code:	129708
Year Published:	2018
Web of Science® Times Cited:	1
Deposited By:	Medicine
Deposited On:	2018-12-14
Last Modified:	2019-04-08
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