Treatment barriers identified by substance abusers assessed at a centralized intake unit

Abstract

The 59-item Barriers to Treatment Inventory (BTI) was administered to 312 substance abusers at a centralized intake unit following assessment but before treatment entry to assess their views on barriers to treatment. Factor analysis identified 25 items in 7 well-defined latent constructs: Absence of Problem, Negative Social Support, Fear of Treatment, Privacy Concerns, Time Conflict, Poor Treatment Availability, and Admission Difficulty. The factorial structure of the barriers is consistent with the findings of other studies that asked substance abusers about barriers to treatment and is conceptually compatible with Andersen's model of health care utilization. Factors were moderately to highly correlated, suggesting that they interact with one another. Selected characteristics were generally not predictive of barrier factors. Overall, results indicate that the BTI has good content validity and is a reliable instrument for assessing barriers to drug treatment. The potential utility of the BTI in assessment settings is discussed.

Who seeks public treatment for substance abuse in Brazil? Results of a multicenter study involving four Brazilian state capitals

“…19 The mean age of our sample is in line with the relevant literature, which shows that substance abusers tend to seek treatment later in life than individuals with other psychiatric disorders, probably as a result of a higher number of barriers to treatment initiation. 7 In turn, the higher mean age observed in our patients when compared with samples of non-alcohol drug users may be explained by the high rates of alcohol use and abuse observed in our study, as problems alcohol-related problems tend to manifest later in life. 20,21 Moreover, our results showed a tendency to lower alcohol consumption and increased marijuana consumption in the state of Bahia (CETAD) when compared with the other centers, which may also be associated with the younger sample recruited at that center.…”

“…3 In response to the increased prevalence of psychoactive drug abuse, there is a growing interest in variables that may influence treatment effectiveness. [4][5][6][7] For example, active participation in treatment has been associated with positive outcomes among psychoactive drug users. 8 However, many drug users do not even start treatment, many leave treatment prematurely, or yet relapse following treatment completion.…”

“…8 However, many drug users do not even start treatment, many leave treatment prematurely, or yet relapse following treatment completion. 5 In this context, several authors have focused on addictive behaviors and tried to better understand the factors that motivate individuals to seek treatment for substance abuse, 5 as well as barriers to treatment-seeking 7 and outcome predictors. 4 In spite of many scientific efforts, a number of questions still remain unclear, especially regarding access to treatment, treatment compliance, and treatment effectiveness.…”

“…Such aspects may include political issues (e.g., the funding received by each service) and also characteristics of each individual treatment program (e.g., complex admission criteria, absence of appropriate services for groups such as women, waiting lists, and lack of cooperation across service organizations). 7 Therefore, further studies should be carried out with the aim of providing a detailed profile of the health care services available for drug users in Brazil, with a focus on identifying variables that may influence specialized treatment seeking.…”

Treatment challenges for alcohol service users in Kampala, Uganda

“…Factors that have been associated with poor treatment access and participation among persons with AUD and other substance use disorders in the international literature include personal challenges (e.g., negative social support, unaffordability, privacy and time concerns, shame, stigma, and denial), as well as system challenges (e.g., lack of expertise, limited availability, intake procedures and requirements) (Fin, Bakshi, & Andréasson, 2014;Myers, Louw, & Fakier, 2008;Myers, Petersen, Kader, & Parry, 2012;Pasche, Kleintjes, Wilson, Stein, & Myers, 2015;Rapp et al, 2006). Identified obstacles appear to be similar across countries and cultures, although their magnitude may differ according to place and population.…”