Beyond Frequency of Use: Testing Other Aspects of Cocaine Use Severity

Objective: Frequency of use – the number of days of use – is the most common metric for quantifying cocaine use severity and the most common target of treatment. However, frequency may not capture all important aspects of cocaine use. This study examined how other aspects of cocaine use (quantity, variability etc.) relate to quality-of-life (QoL). Method: This is a secondary analysis of 3 clinical trials for cocaine use disorder (CUD), N= 207. Metrics of use were calculated from baseline 30 Day Timeline Followback (TLFB) data and entered into multiple regression analyses predicting three domains of the Addiction Severity Index. Results: Less variability in amounts and greater amounts of cocaine used per occasion, especially at higher frequencies, surprisingly related to better employment functioning, while using at more regular intervals related to better medical functioning. Conclusions: Although days of use is the most typical predictor and target of treatment, other aspects of related more strongly to QoL. Future work should explore whether other aspects of cocaine use are important targets for harm-reduction-focused treatment.