Start2Stop Outcomes

Start2Stop Research Study

In 2014, Start2Stop commissioned an independent researcher to carry out an outcomes study. This was done between October 2014 and March 2016; 182 Start2Stop clients took part. In December 2015, a random sample was also taken of ex patients (29 respondents).

The object of the study was to see whether the treatment provided at Start2Stop is effective, and to shine a light on what Start2Stop actually achieves for its clients. In particular, we wanted to know more about how treatment at Start2Stop impacted on quality of life, depression, and anxiety, as well as our success rate in terms of abstinence.

Research involving addiction is notoriously tricky, mainly because it is difficult to track clients once they have finished treatment. Clients who do pick up the phone to the researcher, perhaps 6 months after finishing treatment, will then be giving what is known as a ‘self-report’ – there is no empirical proof for what they tell the researcher.

This means that when it comes to evaluating an addictions treatment service, the measures usually considered most reliable are: retention in treatment; completion of treatment; and evidenced abstinence at completion.

Anyone in treatment at Start2Stop is drug or alcohol tested on a weekly basis, and we are confident that the abstinence data covering the time in treatment is accurate.

It should be noted that Start2Stop is located in central London, in the heart of the community, and that our clients are very much finding recovery in the real world, with all its temptations & triggers. This means that staying abstinent at Start2Stop is a more significant achievement than staying abstinent at, for instance, a treatment centre or hospital that is tucked away from the world, where one is in a very safe & controlled environment.

A full report will be published on this website later in the year.

For now, here are the ‘headline’ stats:

Headline Stats

Age: Mean age of clients was 36.19 years (age distribution was 18-77)

Retention & Completion: 74.36% of clients successfully completed treatment (mean treatment time was 85.25 days)

Abstinence upon discharge: 79.7% of clients were at least one month abstinent on discharge. A McNemar-Bowker Test showed that treatment had a statistically significant effect upon abstinence.

Abstinence post-discharge:

• Follow-up point 1 (3 months post treatment): 88.4% of clients (21 respondents) reported that they had remained abstinent.
• Follow-up point 2 (6 months post treatment); 100% of clients (15 respondents) reported that they had remained abstinent.

Depression: Treatment at Start2Stop showed a statistically significant and robust effect on depression (Wilcoxon Signed Rank Test). 139 clients filled out the PHQ form on admission (the PHQ is a standardised instrument for measuring depression) and 76 clients filled it out upon discharge.

• Mean PHQ score on admission: 9.73 (moderate depression)
• Mean PHQ score on discharge: 6.25
• Mean PHQ score at follow-up: 5.58 (mild depression)

Anxiety: Treatment at Start2Stop showed a statistically significant and robust effect on anxiety (Wilcoxon Signed Rank Test). 139 clients filled out the GAD form on admission (the GAD is a standardised instrument for measuring anxiety) and 76 clients filled it out upon discharge.

• Mean GAD score on admission: 10.13 (moderate anxiety)
• Mean GAD score on discharge: 6.74
• Mean GAD score at follow-up: 5.47 (mild anxiety)

Rating of psychological health status (anxiety, depression and problem emotions and feelings):

• On admission: 11.49
• On discharge: 13.47

Rating of physical health status:

• On admission: 13.33
• On discharge: 13.44

Rating of overall quality of life (able to enjoy life, get on well with family and partner):

• On admission: 12.02
• On discharge: 15.08

December 2015 Mini Study

Results from a random sample of ex Start2Stop clients carried out in December 2015 (29 respondents).

Abstinence: 65.5% of respondents reported having remained abstinent since finishing treatment (mean abstinence time was 24 months).

Life changing: 96.6 % of respondents answered yes when asked if they thought that treatment had changed their life.

Recommendation to a friend: 96.6 % of respondents answered YES to the question of whether they would recommend Start2Stop to a friend.

Helped with addiction issues: 96.5 % agreed with this statement.

Expectations: 100 % of participants strongly agreed or agreed to the statement that treatment had met their expectations.

Goals: 89.7 % participants strongly agreed or agreed to the statement that treatment helped them to achieve their goals.

Community: 96.6 % of participants strongly agreed to the statement that treatment had helped them feel less alone and part of a community.