Seven year follow-up of heroin addicts: life histories summarised.

Data from a seven-year follow-up study of heroin addicts were analysed to show group trends. Time spent in various activities was quantified for each person for each year of the follow-up period and used to provide a composite life history. Time spent by the sample using drugs has decreased over the follow-up period. The most marked decrease appeared in the use of heroin, but the analysis suggests that a hard core of heroin users still used heroin several years after coming to the clinic. There seems to be an overall congruence between abstinence and non-clinic attendance. For this sample the use of illegal opiates without attending a clinic was relatively rare, and total time spent in hospitals and in prisons was rather small. Death occurred randomly during the follow-up period.