What do systematic reviews say?

Brief intervention vs brief advice, information, or assessment only

• Psychosocial and pharmacologic interventions to reduce harmful alcohol use in low‐ and middle‐income countries 2023 · Cochrane Headline outcomes only
  no estimate extracted
  12 studies · 5380 participants
  Very low

Other psychosocial intervention vs usual care, brief intervention, or wait list

• Psychosocial and pharmacologic interventions to reduce harmful alcohol use in low‐ and middle‐income countries 2023 · Cochrane Headline outcomes only
  no estimate extracted
  9 studies · 1664 participants
  Very low

Pharmacologic intervention vs placebo

Pharmacologic intervention showed no clear difference in retention compared with placebo (low certainty).

• Psychosocial and pharmacologic interventions to reduce harmful alcohol use in low‐ and middle‐income countries 2023 · Cochrane Headline outcomes only
  RR 1.13 [0.89, 1.44]
  3 studies · 247 participants
  Low

Any Psychosocial intervention plus pharm vs psychosocial interventions

Pharmacologic intervention along with psychosocial intervention showed no clear difference in retention compared with psychosocial intervention alone (moderate certainty).

• Psychosocial and pharmacologic interventions to reduce harmful alcohol use in low‐ and middle‐income countries 2023 · Cochrane Headline outcomes only
  RR 1.15 [0.95, 1.4]
  3 studies · 363 participants
  Moderate

Pharmacologic intervention vs another pharmacologic intervention

Pharmacologic intervention showed no clear difference in retention compared with another pharmacologic intervention (low certainty).

• Psychosocial and pharmacologic interventions to reduce harmful alcohol use in low‐ and middle‐income countries 2023 · Cochrane Headline outcomes only
  RR 0.95 [0.76, 1.19]
  2 studies · 190 participants
  Low
• Psychosocial and pharmacologic interventions to reduce harmful alcohol use in low‐ and middle‐income countries 2023 · Cochrane Headline outcomes only
  RR 1.02 [0.96, 1.08]
  2 studies · 200 participants
  Low

Full opioid agonists vs different full opioid agonists or partial opioid agonists (methadone versus buprenorphine)

Full opioid agonists may leads to higher retention compared with different full opioid agonists or partial opioid agonists (methadone… (low certainty).

• Opioid agonist treatment for people who are dependent on pharmaceutical opioids 2022 · Cochrane Headline outcomes only
  RR 1.21 [1.02, 1.43]
  4 studies · 379 participants
  Low

Brief intervention vs treatment

Brief intervention (BI) showed no clear difference in retention compared with treatment (low certainty).

• Psychosocial interventions to reduce alcohol consumption in concurrent problem alcohol and illicit drug users 2018 · Cochrane Headline outcomes only
  RR 0.94 [0.78, 1.13]
  3 studies · 190 participants
  Low

Motivational interviewing vs treatment

Motivational interviewing (MI) showed no clear difference in retention ‐ end of treatment compared with treatment (low certainty).

• Psychosocial interventions to reduce alcohol consumption in concurrent problem alcohol and illicit drug users 2018 · Cochrane Headline outcomes only
  RR 0.96 [0.87, 1.06]
  1 study · 256 participants
  Low
• Psychosocial interventions to reduce alcohol consumption in concurrent problem alcohol and illicit drug users 2018 · Cochrane Headline outcomes only
  RR 0.93 [0.6, 1.43]
  2 studies · 160 participants
  Low

Dihydrocodeine vs methadone

Dihydrocodeine showed no clear difference in treatment retention compared with methadone (low certainty).

• Dihydrocodeine for detoxification and maintenance treatment in individuals with opiate use disorders 2020 · Cochrane Headline outcomes only
  RR 1.04 [0.94, 1.16]
  1 study · 204 participants
  Low

Interpersonal Psychotherapy for Depression (IPT‐D) vs Other Psychological Interventions

It is very uncertain whether interpersonal Psychotherapy for Depression (IPT‐D) changes treatment retention compared with other Psychological Interventions (very low certainty).

• Psychological interventions for co‐occurring depression and substance use disorders 2019 · Cochrane Headline outcomes only
  RR 1 [0.81, 1.23]
  2 studies · 64 participants
  Very low

Integrated CBT vs Twelve Step Facilitation

It is very uncertain whether integrated CBT changes treatment retention compared with twelve Step Facilitation (very low certainty).

• Psychological interventions for co‐occurring depression and substance use disorders 2019 · Cochrane Headline outcomes only
  RR 0.95 [0.72, 1.25]
  2 studies · 296 participants
  Very low

Motivational interviewing vs assessment and feedback

The review found no eligible studies for this question.

• Motivational interviewing for substance use reduction 2023 · Cochrane Headline outcomes only
  no estimate extracted
  Studies not reported
  No studies found

Music intervention plus standard care vs active intervention plus standard care

The review found no eligible studies for this question.

• Music therapy for people with substance use disorders 2022 · Cochrane Headline outcomes only
  no estimate extracted
  Studies not reported
  No studies found

Music intervention plus standard care vs usual care

Music therapy plus standard care showed no clear difference in retention in treatment compared with standard care alone (moderate certainty).

• Music therapy for people with substance use disorders 2022 · Cochrane Headline outcomes only
  RR 0.99 [0.93, 1.05]
  6 studies · 199 participants
  Moderate

Intervention not reported

• Psychosocial interventions for cannabis use disorder 2016 · Cochrane Headline outcomes only
  no estimate extracted
  11 studies · 1424 participants
  Moderate

Intervention not reported

The intervention leads to lower retention in treatment (high certainty).

• Buprenorphine maintenance versus placebo or methadone maintenance for opioid dependence 2014 · Cochrane Headline outcomes only
  RR 0.83 [0.73, 0.95]
  11 studies · 1391 participants
  High

Intervention not reported

The intervention leads to higher retention in treatment (high certainty).

• Buprenorphine maintenance versus placebo or methadone maintenance for opioid dependence 2014 · Cochrane Headline outcomes only
  RR 1.82 [1.15, 2.9]
  5 studies · 1001 participants
  High

Brief motivational interviewing (BMI) vs assessment‐only to reduce alcohol consumption

Brief motivational interviewing (BMI) showed no clear difference in retention ‐ end of treatment compared with assessment‐only to reduce alcohol consumption (moderate certainty).

• Psychosocial interventions to reduce alcohol consumption in concurrent problem alcohol and illicit drug users 2018 · Cochrane Headline outcomes only
  RR 0.98 [0.94, 1.02]
  1 study · 190 participants
  Moderate

Motivational interviewing intensive (MII) vs motivational interviewing (MI) to reduce alcohol consumption

Motivational interviewing intensive (MII) may leads to higher retention ‐ end of treatment compared with motivational interviewing (MI) to reduce alcohol consumption (low certainty).

• Psychosocial interventions to reduce alcohol consumption in concurrent problem alcohol and illicit drug users 2018 · Cochrane Headline outcomes only
  RR 17.63 [1.03, 300.48]
  1 study · 163 participants
  Low

Cognitive‐behavioural coping skills training (CBCST) vs Twelve Step Facilitation

It is very uncertain whether cognitive‐behavioural coping skills training (CBCST) changes retention ‐ end of treatment compared with twelve‐step facilitation (TSF) programme to reduce alcohol consumption (very low certainty).

• Psychosocial interventions to reduce alcohol consumption in concurrent problem alcohol and illicit drug users 2018 · Cochrane Headline outcomes only
  RR 0.89 [0.62, 1.29]
  1 study · 41 participants
  Very low