A qualitative examination of substance use service needs among people who use drugs (PWUD) with treatment and service experience in Ontario, Canada
Abstract Background People who use drugs (PWUD) often have complex health and social support needs related to substance use, yet face numerous barriers to service access, resulting in unmet treatment needs and a corresponding gap in treatment. While initiatives to scale up substance use services for...
Guardado en:
| Autores principales: | , , , , , , |
|---|---|
| Formato: | article |
| Lenguaje: | EN |
| Publicado: |
BMC
2021
|
| Materias: | |
| Acceso en línea: | https://doaj.org/article/c96d91a9b7144d5b829d9284ff4dc3e6 |
| Etiquetas: |
Agregar Etiqueta
Sin Etiquetas, Sea el primero en etiquetar este registro!
|
| id |
oai:doaj.org-article:c96d91a9b7144d5b829d9284ff4dc3e6 |
|---|---|
| record_format |
dspace |
| spelling |
oai:doaj.org-article:c96d91a9b7144d5b829d9284ff4dc3e62021-11-08T10:43:50ZA qualitative examination of substance use service needs among people who use drugs (PWUD) with treatment and service experience in Ontario, Canada10.1186/s12889-021-12104-w1471-2458https://doaj.org/article/c96d91a9b7144d5b829d9284ff4dc3e62021-11-01T00:00:00Zhttps://doi.org/10.1186/s12889-021-12104-whttps://doaj.org/toc/1471-2458Abstract Background People who use drugs (PWUD) often have complex health and social support needs related to substance use, yet face numerous barriers to service access, resulting in unmet treatment needs and a corresponding gap in treatment. While initiatives to scale up substance use services for PWUD in Canada - and Ontario - have been undertaken, these have excluded PWUD’ perspectives, and their needs have largely been defined by other actors. As end-users of services, PWUD’ perspectives are vital to understanding what services are required, and whether existent services are adequate, appropriate and effective. Thus, the present study aimed to elicit in-depth knowledge from PWUD with lived experience of accessing services to better understand their unmet treatment and service needs, towards closing the service and treatment gap in Ontario. Methods This qualitative study included one-on-one interviews conducted with a cohort of n = 45 adult PWUD with substance use and treatment experience in Ontario, Canada. Participants were recruited from substance use services based on ConnexOntario’s directory of all provincial addiction services, as well as by word-of-mouth. Questions focused on participants’ experiences and perspectives on substance use services towards understanding their service needs. Data underwent an inductive thematic analysis based on key themes that emerged. Results Participants commonly engaged in polysubstance use, and identified a number of unmet substance use service needs including complex factors within the current service system that influenced access to available programs. Specifically, participants suggested the need to address stigmatization and system fragmentation, increase service provision and capacity, and scale up specific services and related supports such as harm reduction, counseling, treatment, and housing. Conclusions This study identified PWUD’ needs in relation to substance use service provision in Ontario, Canada, and highlighted important areas for policy change and program planning and implementation. Concrete recommendations include the development of a government-funded, low-barrier, comprehensive and integrated service delivery and referral models that include PWUD as collaborators and program facilitators to ensure that services are as accessible, effective, and cohesive as possible. Results from this study can be used to enhance provincial substance use treatment and service provision.Cayley RussellFarihah AliFrishta NafehSean LeBlancSameer ImtiazTara Elton-MarshallJürgen RehmBMCarticleAddictionHarm reductionNeedsOntarioPeople who use drugsPolicyPublic aspects of medicineRA1-1270ENBMC Public Health, Vol 21, Iss 1, Pp 1-14 (2021) |
| institution |
DOAJ |
| collection |
DOAJ |
| language |
EN |
| topic |
Addiction Harm reduction Needs Ontario People who use drugs Policy Public aspects of medicine RA1-1270 |
| spellingShingle |
Addiction Harm reduction Needs Ontario People who use drugs Policy Public aspects of medicine RA1-1270 Cayley Russell Farihah Ali Frishta Nafeh Sean LeBlanc Sameer Imtiaz Tara Elton-Marshall Jürgen Rehm A qualitative examination of substance use service needs among people who use drugs (PWUD) with treatment and service experience in Ontario, Canada |
| description |
Abstract Background People who use drugs (PWUD) often have complex health and social support needs related to substance use, yet face numerous barriers to service access, resulting in unmet treatment needs and a corresponding gap in treatment. While initiatives to scale up substance use services for PWUD in Canada - and Ontario - have been undertaken, these have excluded PWUD’ perspectives, and their needs have largely been defined by other actors. As end-users of services, PWUD’ perspectives are vital to understanding what services are required, and whether existent services are adequate, appropriate and effective. Thus, the present study aimed to elicit in-depth knowledge from PWUD with lived experience of accessing services to better understand their unmet treatment and service needs, towards closing the service and treatment gap in Ontario. Methods This qualitative study included one-on-one interviews conducted with a cohort of n = 45 adult PWUD with substance use and treatment experience in Ontario, Canada. Participants were recruited from substance use services based on ConnexOntario’s directory of all provincial addiction services, as well as by word-of-mouth. Questions focused on participants’ experiences and perspectives on substance use services towards understanding their service needs. Data underwent an inductive thematic analysis based on key themes that emerged. Results Participants commonly engaged in polysubstance use, and identified a number of unmet substance use service needs including complex factors within the current service system that influenced access to available programs. Specifically, participants suggested the need to address stigmatization and system fragmentation, increase service provision and capacity, and scale up specific services and related supports such as harm reduction, counseling, treatment, and housing. Conclusions This study identified PWUD’ needs in relation to substance use service provision in Ontario, Canada, and highlighted important areas for policy change and program planning and implementation. Concrete recommendations include the development of a government-funded, low-barrier, comprehensive and integrated service delivery and referral models that include PWUD as collaborators and program facilitators to ensure that services are as accessible, effective, and cohesive as possible. Results from this study can be used to enhance provincial substance use treatment and service provision. |
| format |
article |
| author |
Cayley Russell Farihah Ali Frishta Nafeh Sean LeBlanc Sameer Imtiaz Tara Elton-Marshall Jürgen Rehm |
| author_facet |
Cayley Russell Farihah Ali Frishta Nafeh Sean LeBlanc Sameer Imtiaz Tara Elton-Marshall Jürgen Rehm |
| author_sort |
Cayley Russell |
| title |
A qualitative examination of substance use service needs among people who use drugs (PWUD) with treatment and service experience in Ontario, Canada |
| title_short |
A qualitative examination of substance use service needs among people who use drugs (PWUD) with treatment and service experience in Ontario, Canada |
| title_full |
A qualitative examination of substance use service needs among people who use drugs (PWUD) with treatment and service experience in Ontario, Canada |
| title_fullStr |
A qualitative examination of substance use service needs among people who use drugs (PWUD) with treatment and service experience in Ontario, Canada |
| title_full_unstemmed |
A qualitative examination of substance use service needs among people who use drugs (PWUD) with treatment and service experience in Ontario, Canada |
| title_sort |
qualitative examination of substance use service needs among people who use drugs (pwud) with treatment and service experience in ontario, canada |
| publisher |
BMC |
| publishDate |
2021 |
| url |
https://doaj.org/article/c96d91a9b7144d5b829d9284ff4dc3e6 |
| work_keys_str_mv |
AT cayleyrussell aqualitativeexaminationofsubstanceuseserviceneedsamongpeoplewhousedrugspwudwithtreatmentandserviceexperienceinontariocanada AT farihahali aqualitativeexaminationofsubstanceuseserviceneedsamongpeoplewhousedrugspwudwithtreatmentandserviceexperienceinontariocanada AT frishtanafeh aqualitativeexaminationofsubstanceuseserviceneedsamongpeoplewhousedrugspwudwithtreatmentandserviceexperienceinontariocanada AT seanleblanc aqualitativeexaminationofsubstanceuseserviceneedsamongpeoplewhousedrugspwudwithtreatmentandserviceexperienceinontariocanada AT sameerimtiaz aqualitativeexaminationofsubstanceuseserviceneedsamongpeoplewhousedrugspwudwithtreatmentandserviceexperienceinontariocanada AT taraeltonmarshall aqualitativeexaminationofsubstanceuseserviceneedsamongpeoplewhousedrugspwudwithtreatmentandserviceexperienceinontariocanada AT jurgenrehm aqualitativeexaminationofsubstanceuseserviceneedsamongpeoplewhousedrugspwudwithtreatmentandserviceexperienceinontariocanada AT cayleyrussell qualitativeexaminationofsubstanceuseserviceneedsamongpeoplewhousedrugspwudwithtreatmentandserviceexperienceinontariocanada AT farihahali qualitativeexaminationofsubstanceuseserviceneedsamongpeoplewhousedrugspwudwithtreatmentandserviceexperienceinontariocanada AT frishtanafeh qualitativeexaminationofsubstanceuseserviceneedsamongpeoplewhousedrugspwudwithtreatmentandserviceexperienceinontariocanada AT seanleblanc qualitativeexaminationofsubstanceuseserviceneedsamongpeoplewhousedrugspwudwithtreatmentandserviceexperienceinontariocanada AT sameerimtiaz qualitativeexaminationofsubstanceuseserviceneedsamongpeoplewhousedrugspwudwithtreatmentandserviceexperienceinontariocanada AT taraeltonmarshall qualitativeexaminationofsubstanceuseserviceneedsamongpeoplewhousedrugspwudwithtreatmentandserviceexperienceinontariocanada AT jurgenrehm qualitativeexaminationofsubstanceuseserviceneedsamongpeoplewhousedrugspwudwithtreatmentandserviceexperienceinontariocanada |
| _version_ |
1718442753254227968 |