Completion of alcohol and drug treatment in Australia, 2011–12 to 2020–21: differences by drugs of concern and treatment characteristics

Web report

Last updated: 14 Mar 2023

Topic: Alcohol & other drug treatment services

AIHW

Australian Institute of Health and Welfare (2023) Completion of alcohol and drug treatment in Australia, 2011–12 to 2020–21: differences by drugs of concern and treatment characteristics, AIHW, Australian Government, accessed 28 April 2024.

APA

Australian Institute of Health and Welfare. (2023). Completion of alcohol and drug treatment in Australia, 2011–12 to 2020–21: differences by drugs of concern and treatment characteristics. Retrieved from https://pp.aihw.gov.au/reports/alcohol-other-drug-treatment-services/completion-drug-treatment-2011-21

MLA

Completion of alcohol and drug treatment in Australia, 2011–12 to 2020–21: differences by drugs of concern and treatment characteristics. Australian Institute of Health and Welfare, 14 March 2023, https://pp.aihw.gov.au/reports/alcohol-other-drug-treatment-services/completion-drug-treatment-2011-21

Vancouver

Australian Institute of Health and Welfare. Completion of alcohol and drug treatment in Australia, 2011–12 to 2020–21: differences by drugs of concern and treatment characteristics [Internet]. Canberra: Australian Institute of Health and Welfare, 2023 [cited 2024 Apr. 28]. Available from: https://pp.aihw.gov.au/reports/alcohol-other-drug-treatment-services/completion-drug-treatment-2011-21

Harvard

Australian Institute of Health and Welfare (AIHW) 2023, Completion of alcohol and drug treatment in Australia, 2011–12 to 2020–21: differences by drugs of concern and treatment characteristics, viewed 28 April 2024, https://pp.aihw.gov.au/reports/alcohol-other-drug-treatment-services/completion-drug-treatment-2011-21

Treatment setting

The proportion of episodes delivered in residential settings increased with treatment intensity, with clients receiving intensive treatment more likely to receive treatment in this facility than in any other settings (Figure 6):

non-recurring: around 1 in 7 episodes for alcohol (14%; 28,712 episodes) and amphetamines (15%; 18,666)
recurring: around 1 in 5 episodes for alcohol (22%; 22,353 episodes) and amphetamines (18%; 16,994)
intensive: around 1 in 3 episodes for alcohol (32%; 25,046 episodes) and amphetamines (31%; 14,535).

Episodes were more likely to end in unplanned completion where they were delivered in non-residential or residential treatment facilities, compared to outreach or home settings.

Figure 6: End reasons of episodes treating alcohol or amphetamines between 2013–14 and 2020–21, by treatment intensity cohort and delivery setting

Alcohol

Among clients seeking treatment for alcohol as a principal drug of concern:

Episodes delivered in residential settings had a similar likelihood of ending with an unplanned completion across all treatment cohorts (around 1 in 5, or 20–22%).
In non-residential settings, episodes delivered to clients receiving recurring treatment had the highest likelihood of ending in an unplanned completion (27%) while episodes provided to clients receiving intensive treatment had the lowest (16%).

Amphetamines

Among clients seeking treatment for amphetamines as a principal drug of concern:

In residential settings, episodes delivered to clients receiving intensive treatment had a lower likelihood of ending as an unplanned completion (30%) compared to those receiving non-recurring and recurring treatment (37% each).
In non-residential settings, episodes delivered to clients receiving intensive treatment had the lowest likelihood of ending as an unplanned completion (22%) compared to those receiving non-recurring and recurring treatment (32% and 33%, respectively).

For further detail, refer to Supplementary table BLTN.10.