Use of Drug Treatment and Rehabilitation Services in Indonesia: Findings of the 2014 National Narcotic Survey

Ex-Drug Users' and Health Professionals' Perspectives About School-Based Drug Use Prevention Programs: A Qualitative Study

Adolescents have become a prime target for drug dealers in various countries around the world, including in Indonesia. To reduce the high number of drug users amongst adolescents, effective drug prevention programs should be developed and implemented. The present study aimed to identify effective school-based drug prevention programs for adolescents from the perspectives of former drug users and health professionals. This qualitative research used Focus Group Discussions (FGDs) to collect the data. The study participants consisted of eight Ex-Drug Users (EDUs) and eight Health Professionals (HPs) from health educational institutions and health service settings that were selected through purposive sampling. Data analysis was performed using the qualitative content analysis. Five themes were identified from both EDUs and HPs, including the negative effects of drugs, the socialization of drug abuse, the rehabilitation of drug addicts, the partner collaboration, and the obstacles in preventing drug use. All participants agreed that the drug prevention programs such as school-based drug prevention programs are necessary in order to minimize the adverse effects of drug use. While EDUs tended to focus on the social and psychological effects of drugs, the HPs were more inclined toward the risks of diseases, social impacts, and economic problems of the drugs as the reasons for program importance. In terms of the intervention programs, both EDUs and HPs proposed conducting socialization through the use of active methods and agreed that rehabilitation as an effective way for addict students. Also, both groups of participants agreed on the significance of internal and external support, as well as coordination and collaboration to produce an effective and quality program. While the EDUs cited external factors as the main obstacle to the success of program implementation, the HPs mentioned internal factors of the users. School-based drug prevention programs are an important and potentially effective strategy to reduce the use and the effects of drug use among adolescents. The support of various relevant stakeholders is needed to further increase the effectiveness of the programs and eliminate possible barriers to the implementation of the intervention programs.

Barriers and Facilitators to Substance Use Disorder Treatment in Low-and Middle-Income Countries: A Qualitative Review Synthesis

BACKGROUND AND AIMS

One of the ways to address the treatment gap for substance use disorders is to understand the barriers and facilitators to treatment. This study aimed to synthesize the literature on barriers and facilitators of treatment in Low- and Middle-Income Countries (LMICs).

METHODS

We search Medline electronic database to identify English language peer reviewed empirical studies, both qualitative and quantitative which reported barriers and/or facilitators of treatment of substance use disorders.

RESULTS

Of 1389 titles, we selected 28 studies (14 were qualitative and 14 quantitative studies). The sample sizes of the qualitative studies ranged from 11 to 235. The majority of studies were from community or clinic settings. A wide range of barriers and facilitators were identified from the qualitative studies and were synthesized according to perceived susceptibility/seriousness, self-efficacy, perceived costs, perceived benefits, and cues to action. Most of the quantitative studies were community-based cross sectional-observational by design. Commonly identified barriers in these quantitative studies were perceived lack of problem or lack of need for treatment and low motivation whereas factors such as good family support and availability of effective treatment was found to facilitate substance use disorder treatment.

CONCLUSION

There are a wide range of barriers that hinder the substance use disorder treatment as well as certain factors that facilitate the treatment. Addressing them can help to minimize the treatment gap, which in turn can help in reducing the familial and social burden due to substance use disorders.