Abstract
Background: The use of illicit and prescription drugs for non-medical purposes among youth and young adults living in Northern Ontario communities is a major public health concern. This problem is amplified in that there is insufficient knowledge on the types of services and treatment centers available for and utilized by young people with substance use issues in Northern Ontario. This needs assessment study aims to examine the service and treatment needs of youth and young adults who use drugs in Northern Ontario communities. Methods/Design: A mixed-methods study design will be used to assess the service and treatment needs of youth and young adults (aged 14-25) who have used one or more illicit drug (excluding cannabis) and/or psychoactive prescription drug for non-medical purposes for at least 3 months and on at least 10 days in the last month. Participants will be recruited from approximately ten Northern, remote and rural communities across Northern Ontario using a mobile research lab. Eligible study candidates from each community will be asked to partake in a focus group and questionnaire exploring service and treatment utilization and needs. We will additionally collect basic socio-demographic information as well as examine patterns of problematic drug use. Interviews with service providers and community organizers will also be conducted in each community. Discussion: Findings from our study will highlight the availability, accessibility and utilization of existing services; identify the gaps and barriers in current service provision; and provide insight into the service and treatment needs of youth and young adults who use drugs in Northern Ontario communities. Assessing the needs of young people who use drugs will allow service providers, community organizers and health policymakers to improve addiction-related services and treatment centers in Northern Ontario.
Highlights
The high prevalence of illicit drug and non-medical prescription drug use has become a major global health concern, with the non-medical use of prescription opioids (POs) especially prevalent in North America[1,2,3,4]
Methods/design Aims and objectives This study aims to determine the service and treatment needs of youth and young adults who regularly use illicit and non-medical prescription drugs in communities across Northern Ontario
Findings from this study will add to our limited knowledge of the drug use patterns of youth and young adults across Northern Ontario
Summary
The high prevalence of illicit drug (such as heroin, cocaine, and amphetamines) and non-medical prescription drug (such as oxycodone, barbiturates and anti-depressants) use has become a major global health concern, with the non-medical use of prescription opioids (POs) especially prevalent in North America[1,2,3,4]. The use of illicit and prescription drugs for non-medical purposes among youth and young adults living in Northern Ontario communities is a major public health concern. This problem is amplified in that there is insufficient knowledge on the types of services and treatment centers available for and utilized by young people with substance use issues in Northern Ontario. This needs assessment study aims to examine the service and treatment needs of youth and young adults who use drugs in Northern Ontario communities. Discussion: Findings from our study will highlight the availability, accessibility and utilization of existing services; identify the gaps and barriers in current service provision; and provide insight into the service and Invited Reviewers version 2 published 28 Oct 2019 version 1 published 16 Oct 2018 report report
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