Evidence map›Paper›PMID 39522765›Full record

Trial reportJournal of substance use and addiction treatment2025

Cost and cost-effectiveness of abstinence-contingent wage supplements for adults experiencing homelessness and alcohol use disorder.

Stephen Orme, Gary A Zarkin, Laura J Dunlap, Jackson Luckey, Forrest Toegel, Matthew D Novak, August F Holtyn, Kenneth Silverman

Abstract readRandomized Controlled Trial
In one paragraph

Trial report in Journal of substance use and addiction treatment, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
0citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

0 citing papers in PubMed.

No citing paper in PubMed yet.

4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

8 authors.

Stephen OrmeRTI International, 3040 E. Cornwallis Rd, Research Triangle Park, NC 27709, United States of America. Electronic address: sorme@rti.org.
Gary A ZarkinRTI International, 3040 E. Cornwallis Rd, Research Triangle Park, NC 27709, United States of America.
Laura J DunlapRTI International, 3040 E. Cornwallis Rd, Research Triangle Park, NC 27709, United States of America.
Jackson LuckeyRTI International, 3040 E. Cornwallis Rd, Research Triangle Park, NC 27709, United States of America.
Forrest ToegelNorthern Michigan University, 1401 Presque Isle Ave., Marquette, MI 49855, United States of America.
Matthew D NovakJohns Hopkins University, 5738 Belair Rd., Baltimore, MD 21206, United States of America.
August F HoltynJohns Hopkins University, 5738 Belair Rd., Baltimore, MD 21206, United States of America.
Kenneth SilvermanJohns Hopkins University, 5738 Belair Rd., Baltimore, MD 21206, United States of America.

Funding

HUMAN BEHAVIORAL PHARMACOLOGY OF SUBSTANCE ABUSET32DA007209 · NIDA · JOHNS HOPKINS UNIVERSITY · PI Eric C. Strain, Elise M Weerts · 1985 to 2026
$12.9M
A therapeutic workplace for homeless adults with alcohol use disordersR01AA024101 · NIAAA · JOHNS HOPKINS UNIVERSITY · PI SILVERMAN, KENNETH · 2018 to 2022
$2.8M
NIAAA NIH HHS R01 AA024101NIDA NIH HHS T32 DA007209
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundAlcohol use disorder, unemployment, and risk of homelessness are linked and often co-occurring, but most interventions do not address both alcohol use disorder and unemployment. The Abstinence-Contingent Wage Supplement (ACWS) model of the Therapeutic Workplace offers participants stipends or wage supplements contingent on both their abstaining from alcohol and engaging with an employment specialist or working in a community job. Wearable biosensors continuously tracked alcohol use. METHODS AND DATA: The study randomized participants to Usual Care (UC) (n = 57) and ACWS (n = 62). We used micro-costing methods to identify the resources and costs of the 6-month ACWS intervention. The study team tracked the cost of incentives for wearing biosensors, stipends, and wage supplements. We used 6-month cost and effectiveness data to calculate incremental cost-effectiveness ratios and cost-effectiveness acceptability curves.

resultsOver the 6-month study period, average intervention costs per participant were $7282, with contingent stipends and wage supplements accounting for 50 % of intervention costs. We also reported average per participant costs for healthcare (UC: $17,785; ACWS: $26,734), justice system (UC: $131; ACWS: $153), and public welfare (UC: $1107; ACWS: $1275). The incremental cost-effectiveness ratios (ICERs) at 6 months were $80,911 for an additional participant abstinent, $3894 for an additional drinking free day, $22,756 for an additional participant employed, and $1514 for an additional day worked.

conclusionsThe ACWS intervention for adults with an alcohol use disorder and experiencing homelessness increased costs and improved alcohol use and employment outcomes compared with Usual Care. For policymakers seeking a solution to alcohol use and unemployment with populations experiencing homelessness, ACWS may be a cost-effective solution.

Indexed as

Alcohol AbstinenceAlcoholismCost-Benefit AnalysisIll-Housed PersonsSalaries and Fringe BenefitsAdultFemaleHumansMaleMiddle AgedAlcoholBiosensorsContingency managementCost-effectivenessEmployment

Identifiers

PMID39522765
PMCPMC11771307

What OpenQuestion holds

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Registered trials

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.