Evidence map›Paper›PMID 39889364›Full record

ArticleAddictive behaviors2025

Predictors of treatment attrition among individuals in substance use disorder treatment: A machine learning approach.

Jill A Rabinowitz, Jonathan L Wells, Geoffrey Kahn, Jennifer D Ellis, Justin C Strickland, Martin Hochheimer, Andrew S Huhn

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Addictive behaviors, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 4 papers, 1 of them a synthesis that pooled it.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
4citing papers in PubMed, 1 pooled it
–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

4 citing papers in PubMed, 1 synthesis or guideline pooled it.

  1. Pooled it
  2. Article
  3. Review
  4. Article
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

7 authors.

Jill A RabinowitzDepartment of Psychiatry, Robert Wood Johnson Medical School, Rutgers University, Piscataway, NJ, USA. Electronic address: jill.rabinowitz@rutgers.edu.
Jonathan L WellsDepartment of Epidemiology, Virginia Commonwealth University School of Population Health, Richmond, Virginia USA.
Geoffrey KahnCenter for Health Policy and Health Services Research, Henry Ford Health, Detroit, Michigan USA.
Jennifer D EllisDepartment of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD USA.
Justin C StricklandDepartment of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD USA; Ashley Addiction Treatment, MD USA.
Martin HochheimerDepartment of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD USA.
Andrew S HuhnDepartment of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD USA; Ashley Addiction Treatment, MD USA.

Funding

Research Training: Psychiatric &Statistical GeneticsT32MH020030 · NIMH · VIRGINIA COMMONWEALTH UNIVERSITY · PI HERMINE H MAES, MICHAEL CHURTON NEALE · 1999 to 2026
$6.7M
Evaluating Suvorexant for Sleep Disturbance in Opioid Use DisorderUH3DA048734 · NIDA · JOHNS HOPKINS UNIVERSITY · PI DUNN, KELLY E, HUHN, ANDREW S · 2021 to 2021
$3.6M
NIDA NIH HHS UH3 DA048734NIMH NIH HHS T32 MH020030
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundEarly treatment discontinuation in substance use disorder treatment settings is common and often difficult to predict. We leveraged a machine learning approach (i.e., random forest) to identify individuals at risk for treatment attrition, and specific factors associated with treatment discontinuation.

methodParticipants (N = 29,809) were individuals ≥ 18 years who attended substance use disorder treatment facilities in the United States. Using random forest, we aimed to predict three outcomes (1) leaving against medical advice (AMA), (2) discharging involuntarily, and (3) discharging early for any reason. Predictors included participant demographics, substance use the month before and at intake, indices of mental and physical health, as well as treatment center and program type.

findingsWe observed low to moderate area under the curve (range = 0.631-0.671), high negative predictive values (range = 0.853-0.965), and low positive predictive values (0.088-0.336) across the three treatment attrition outcomes. The most robust predictors of the three outcomes included treatment center, treatment type, and participant age. Additional predictors of the three outcomes included employment status; reason for treatment; primary drug at intake and frequency of use; prescription opioid, benzodiazepine, or heroin use at intake; living status at intake; and driving under the influence prior to treatment.

conclusionsOur models were able to accurately identify individuals who remained in treatment, but not those who left treatment prematurely. The most robust predictors of treatment discontinuation were treatment center and program type, suggesting that targeting treatment facility features may have a significant impact on reducing treatment attrition and improving long-term recovery.

Indexed as

Machine LearningPatient DropoutsSubstance-Related DisordersAdultFemaleHumansMaleMiddle AgedSubstance Abuse Treatment CentersUnited StatesYoung AdultMachine learningRandom forestSubstance use disorderTreatment attrition

Identifiers

PMID39889364
PMCPMC13055864

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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.