Alexander C Kline1, Kaitlyn E Panza2, Katia M Harlé2, Abigail C Angkaw3, Ryan S Trim2, Sudie E Back4, Sonya B Norman5. 1. VA San Diego Healthcare System, 3350 La Jolla Village Dr, San Diego, CA, 92161, USA; Department of Psychiatry, University of California San Diego, 9500 Gilman Dr, La Jolla, CA, 92093, USA. Electronic address: alexander.kline@va.gov. 2. VA San Diego Healthcare System, 3350 La Jolla Village Dr, San Diego, CA, 92161, USA; Department of Psychiatry, University of California San Diego, 9500 Gilman Dr, La Jolla, CA, 92093, USA. 3. VA San Diego Healthcare System, 3350 La Jolla Village Dr, San Diego, CA, 92161, USA; Department of Psychiatry, University of California San Diego, 9500 Gilman Dr, La Jolla, CA, 92093, USA; National Center for Posttraumatic Stress Disorder, 163 Veterans Dr, White River Junction, VT, 05009, USA. 4. Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Medical University of South Carolina, 171 Ashley Ave, Charleston, SC, 29425, USA; Ralph H. Johnson Veteran Affairs Medical Center, 109 Bee St, Charleston, SC, 29401, USA. 5. Department of Psychiatry, University of California San Diego, 9500 Gilman Dr, La Jolla, CA, 92093, USA; National Center for Posttraumatic Stress Disorder, 163 Veterans Dr, White River Junction, VT, 05009, USA.
Abstract
BACKGROUND: Integrated interventions for comorbid posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) andalcohol use disorder (AUD) are effective, but many patients prematurely drop out from treatment. Little is known about within-treatment risk factors for dropout, limiting the ability during therapy to identify patients at risk for attrition. METHODS: We examined measures assessing PTSD (PTSD Checklist for DSM-5; PCL-5), alcohol use (Substance Use Inventory; SUI), and patient satisfaction (Client Satisfaction Questionnaire; CSQ-8) as potential within-treatment markers of dropout risk, administered to 110 veterans in a randomized clinical trial of integrated exposure therapy versus integrated coping skills therapy for comorbid PTSD + AUD. Hierarchical Cox proportional hazard models with dropout status as the endpoint assessed effects of PCL-5, SUI, and CSQ-8 on dropout risk, and whether effects differed by treatment modality. RESULTS: A significant interaction between treatment and changes in alcohol use was observed (HR = 2.86, p = .007), where between-session alcohol use was positively associated with dropout hazard rate for those receiving integrated exposure therapy (HR = 2.34, p = .004), but not coping skills therapy (HR = 0.73, p = .19). Specifically, an increase of one drink consumed per day in the interval since last assessment (typically 2-3 weeks) was associated with a 5-fold increase in dropout hazard rate. CONCLUSIONS: The findings provide preliminary evidence of detectable within-treatment markers of dropout during integrated treatment for PTSD + AUD. Study of within-treatment indicators proximal to dropout may help identify at-risk patients and inform timely strategies to boost retention. Published by Elsevier B.V.
RCT Entities:
BACKGROUND: Integrated interventions for comorbid posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and alcohol use disorder (AUD) are effective, but many patients prematurely drop out from treatment. Little is known about within-treatment risk factors for dropout, limiting the ability during therapy to identify patients at risk for attrition. METHODS: We examined measures assessing PTSD (PTSD Checklist for DSM-5; PCL-5), alcohol use (Substance Use Inventory; SUI), and patient satisfaction (Client Satisfaction Questionnaire; CSQ-8) as potential within-treatment markers of dropout risk, administered to 110 veterans in a randomized clinical trial of integrated exposure therapy versus integrated coping skills therapy for comorbid PTSD + AUD. Hierarchical Cox proportional hazard models with dropout status as the endpoint assessed effects of PCL-5, SUI, and CSQ-8 on dropout risk, and whether effects differed by treatment modality. RESULTS: A significant interaction between treatment and changes in alcohol use was observed (HR = 2.86, p = .007), where between-session alcohol use was positively associated with dropout hazard rate for those receiving integrated exposure therapy (HR = 2.34, p = .004), but not coping skills therapy (HR = 0.73, p = .19). Specifically, an increase of one drink consumed per day in the interval since last assessment (typically 2-3 weeks) was associated with a 5-fold increase in dropout hazard rate. CONCLUSIONS: The findings provide preliminary evidence of detectable within-treatment markers of dropout during integrated treatment for PTSD + AUD. Study of within-treatment indicators proximal to dropout may help identify at-risk patients and inform timely strategies to boost retention. Published by Elsevier B.V.