Friday, May 25, 2007

New Insite numbers

Insite has been receiving negative attention since a change in government in Canada and recent critical review. Today, they released a report the value of Insite in moving users toward detox. They report that use of Insite is associated with a 30% increase in use of detox services. I'm not sure what to make of this. They previously reported that 18% of Insite users sought detox services over the course of a one year follow-up period.
  • A 30% increase means that detox use went from what percentage to what percentage?
  • What's the road not taken? Could increased access to detox have improved usage? (Vancouver only has 3 detox facilities.) Could simple street outreach have produced similar results?
  • They had a follow-up rate in the neighborhood of 80%, but the cohort is huge. Did they factor any assumptions about the lost subjects? Are these numbers good.
  • These numbers are based on a lot of assumptions. Are these reasonable assumptions? Might someone who's concerned enough about blood-borne pathogens to use Insite, be moving through the stages of change and be more likely to use detox services on their own? I don't know.
  • What were the numbers for community-wide use of detox. Did that increase over this period? Detox admissions increased in Ann Arbor without Insite.
  • What do the clients report as their reasons for entering detox? Do they credit Insite?
All the numbers are in statistical terms that make me wish I paid more attention to stats in college. Any DF staff wanting the full text can email me.

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