Exploring the costs and effectiveness of the Drug and Alcohol Withdrawal Network: a home-based alcohol and other drug withdrawal service
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 enro...
| Main Authors: | , , , , , , |
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| Format: | Journal Article |
| Published: |
C S I R O Publishing
2018
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| Online Access: | http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11937/69994 |
| _version_ | 1848762187899731968 |
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| author | Wright, Cameron Norman, R. Varhol, R. Davis, J. Wilson-Taylor, E. Dorigo, J. Robinson, S. |
| author_facet | Wright, Cameron Norman, R. Varhol, R. Davis, J. Wilson-Taylor, E. Dorigo, J. Robinson, S. |
| author_sort | Wright, Cameron |
| building | Curtin Institutional Repository |
| collection | Online Access |
| description | 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$4.8million. 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. |
| first_indexed | 2025-11-14T10:43:35Z |
| format | Journal Article |
| id | curtin-20.500.11937-69994 |
| institution | Curtin University Malaysia |
| institution_category | Local University |
| last_indexed | 2025-11-14T10:43:35Z |
| publishDate | 2018 |
| publisher | C S I R O Publishing |
| recordtype | eprints |
| repository_type | Digital Repository |
| spelling | curtin-20.500.11937-699942019-02-04T06:03:12Z Exploring the costs and effectiveness of the Drug and Alcohol Withdrawal Network: a home-based alcohol and other drug withdrawal service Wright, Cameron Norman, R. Varhol, R. Davis, J. Wilson-Taylor, E. Dorigo, J. Robinson, S. 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$4.8million. 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. 2018 Journal Article http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11937/69994 10.1071/PY17110 C S I R O Publishing fulltext |
| spellingShingle | Wright, Cameron Norman, R. Varhol, R. Davis, J. Wilson-Taylor, E. Dorigo, J. Robinson, S. Exploring the costs and effectiveness of the Drug and Alcohol Withdrawal Network: a home-based alcohol and other drug withdrawal service |
| title | Exploring the costs and effectiveness of the Drug and Alcohol Withdrawal Network: a home-based alcohol and other drug withdrawal service |
| title_full | Exploring the costs and effectiveness of the Drug and Alcohol Withdrawal Network: a home-based alcohol and other drug withdrawal service |
| title_fullStr | Exploring the costs and effectiveness of the Drug and Alcohol Withdrawal Network: a home-based alcohol and other drug withdrawal service |
| title_full_unstemmed | Exploring the costs and effectiveness of the Drug and Alcohol Withdrawal Network: a home-based alcohol and other drug withdrawal service |
| title_short | Exploring the costs and effectiveness of the Drug and Alcohol Withdrawal Network: a home-based alcohol and other drug withdrawal service |
| title_sort | exploring the costs and effectiveness of the drug and alcohol withdrawal network: a home-based alcohol and other drug withdrawal service |
| url | http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11937/69994 |