Evidence map›Paper›PMID 38520017›Full record

ArticleSubstance abuse treatment, prevention, and policy2024

What features of drug treatment programs help, or not, with access? a qualitative study of the perspectives of family members and community-based organization staff in Atlantic Canada.

Holly Mathias, Lois A Jackson, Jane A Buxton, Anik Dubé, Niki Kiepek, Fiona Martin, Paula Martin

Abstract read
PubMed Full text at PMC Publisher
In one paragraph

Article in Substance abuse treatment, prevention, and policy, 2024. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 1 paper.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
1citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

1 citing paper in PubMed.

  1. Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

7 authors.

Holly MathiasSchool of Public Health, University of Alberta, 3-300 Edmonton Clinic Health Academy 11405 87 AvenueEdmonton, T6G 1C9, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. hmathias@ualberta.ca.
Lois A JacksonSchool of Health and Human Performance, Dalhousie University, Stairs House, 6230 South Street, B3H 4R2, Halifax, NS, Canada.
Jane A BuxtonSchool of Population and Public Health, University of British Columbia, 2206 East Mall, V6T 1Z8, Vancouver, BC, Canada.
Anik DubéFaculty of Health Sciences and Community Services, School of Nursing, Université de Moncton, 18, avenue Antonine-Maillet, E1A 3E9, Moncton, New Brunswick, Canada.
Niki KiepekSchool of Occupational Therapy, Dalhousie University, Forrest Building, Room 215, 5869 University Avenue, B3H 4R2, Halifax, NS, Canada.
Fiona MartinDepartment of Sociology and Social Anthropology, Dalhousie University, Marion McCain Arts and Social Sciences Building, Room 1128, 6135 University Avenue, B3H 4R2, Halifax, NS, Canada.
Paula MartinDirection 180, 2151 Gottingen Street, B3K 3B5, Halifax, NS, Canada.

Funding

CIHR CBR-156918
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundWithdrawal management and opioid agonist treatment (OAT) programs help to reduce some of the harms experienced by people who use substances (PWUS). There is literature on how features of drug treatment programs (e.g., policies and practices) are helpful, or not helpful, to PWUS when seeking access to, or in, treatment. There is, however, relatively little literature based on the perspectives of family members/family of choice of PWUS and community-based organization staff within the context of Atlantic Canada. This paper explored the perspectives of these two groups on what was helpful, or not, about drug treatment programs in Atlantic Canada in terms of supporting access to, and retention in, treatment.

methodsOne-on-one qualitative telephone interviews were conducted in 2020 with the two groups. Interviews focused on government-funded withdrawal management and OAT programs. Data were coded using a qualitative data management program (ATLAS.ti) and analyzed inductively for key themes/subthemes using grounded theory techniques.

resultsFifteen family members/family of choice and 16 community-based organization staff members participated (n = 31). Participants spoke about features of drug treatment programs in various places, and noted features that were perceived as helpful (e.g., quick access), as well as not helpful (e.g., wait times, programs located far from where PWUS live). Some participants provided their perceptions of how PWUS felt when seeking or accessing treatment. A number of participants reported taking various actions to help support access to treatment, including providing transportation to programs. A few participants also provided suggestions for change to help support access and retention such as better alignment of mental health and addiction systems.

conclusionsParticipants highlighted several helpful and not helpful features of drug treatment programs in terms of supporting treatment access and retention. Previous studies with PWUS and in other places have reported similar features, some of which (e.g., wait times) have been reported for many years. Changes are needed to reduce barriers to access and retention including the changes recommended by study participants. It is critical that the voices of key groups, (including PWUS) are heard to ensure treatment programs in all places support access and retention.

Indexed as

FamilyMental HealthCanadaHumansQualitative ResearchAddiction treatmentCommunity-based organizationsDrug treatment accessFamily membersOATQualitative researchWithdrawal management

Identifiers

PMID38520017
PMCPMC10960477

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Registered trials

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.