The Norwegian Municipal Health Care Act opens for mandated treatment for persons with severe and life-threatening substance use disorder. This study aims to examine substance use related outcomes at six-month following in-patient treatment and to analyse factors associated with improved outcomes and abstinence.

This prospective study followed 202 hospitalised patients with SUD that were admitted voluntarily (n = 137) or compulsorily (n = 65). The European Addiction Severity Index was used at baseline and at follow-up to assess socio-demographics and substance use variables. Regression analysis was conducted to investigate factors associated with abstinence at six-month follow-up.

The frequency of use of preferred substance showed markedly improvement for both voluntary admitted (VA) and compulsory admitted (CA) patients (61% and 37% respectively) at follow-up. Seventy-five percent of VA patients using amphetamine reported improvement compared to 53% of CA patients. At follow-up, the CA group continued to have a higher rate of injection use. The CA group had experienced higher rates of overdose the past six months and lower abstinence rates (24% versus 50%) at follow-up. Lower severity of drug use at intake (non-injection drug use), voluntary treatment modality and higher treatment involvement during follow-up all were significant factors associated with abstinence at follow-up.

Voluntary treatment for SUD generally yielded better outcomes; nevertheless we found improved outcomes also for CA patients. It is important to keep in mind that the alternative to CA treatment in reality is no treatment at all and instead a continuation of life-threatening drug use behaviours.

The authors have not supplied their declaration of competing interest.