Drug abuse treatment entry and engagement: report of a meeting on treatment readiness.

Although the effectiveness of drug abuse treatment has been demonstrated repeatedly, many drug abusers do not enter treatment, many who do enter leave prematurely, and relapse following treatment is common. To further research treatment entry and engagement, the National Institute on Drug Abuse convened scientists representing diverse research traditions in December 1996. This article summarizes meeting presentations and recommendations. Presentations focused on treatment readiness/motivation for change, ethnographic reports of drug abusers' perceptions of and attitudes toward treatment, and reports on alternative treatments for high-risk drug abusers. Recommendations focused on the potential contribution of qualitative research, integration of qualitative and quantitative research approaches, development of flexible treatment approaches that are cognizant of patients' life circumstances, and services research to improve the organization and delivery of drug abuse treatment.