Exploring the Impacts of Help-seekers’ Knowledge, Belief, and Attitude on the Choice of Treatment for Substance Use Disorder

Abstract

Background: Recently, Abia State, like other states in Nigeria, has been experiencinga growing number of deaths due to substance use, leading to substance use disorders and comorbidities. Family members and relatives usually seek treatment for those who, in some cases, do not have insight. However, their knowledge of how the substance affects, erroneous beliefs, and attitudes can reasonably impact theirchoice of treatment when a family member is affected. Aim: Thisstudy investigated people's knowledge, beliefs, and attitudes and how they affect their treatment choices. Method: A purposive sampling technique was employed to recruit 1,200 participants from a cross-sectional survey of three LGAs in Abia State. The35-item Knowledge, Beliefs, and Attitude Toward Treatment Questionnaire (KBATQ) was utilized to measure the study variables. Three hypotheses were advanced, and the data were analyzedvia IBM SPSS-23. Results: Descriptive results revealeda high proportion of patients with poor knowledge of drug use disorders (up to 53.7%) as an issue that requiresmedical and therapeutic intervention. Multiple regression analyses indicated that having good knowledge, belief, and attitude toward drug use as a disorder predicted a high level of evidence-based treatment options for relatives of drug users (F (3, 1199) = 177.23, p<0.05). The study also revealed poor availability of rehabilitation centers. Conclusion: In line with these findings, we concluded that the Abia State government should, as a matter of urgency, intensify drug use sensitization programs andlook into building more rehabilitation centers and that professionals, such as psychiatrists, clinical psychologists, and those who have completed universal treatment curriculum (UTC) courses,should be employed to provide evidence-based treatments for substance users. Relevant policies and interventions should target underlying socioculturalissues, such as stigma, lack of awareness, and cultural acceptance of substance use, to ensure greater effectiveness of interventions. Healthcare professionals, policymakers, and researchers have a crucial role in implementing these recommendations and improving the situation in Abia State.