Abstract
Recognition of changes in the nature and extent of problem drug taking in the early 1980s led to changes in service provision and to an increased interest in help-seeking. The advent of AIDS accelerated these changes. This paper introduces concepts from the wider field of help-seeking and compliance with preventive health measures. It reviews the major conclusions of studies of help-seeking by problem drug takers, and identifies areas for further research. These include the need to 'unpack' the concept of 'drug problems' and to differentiate dimensions of needs in different individuals and populations; to evaluate attempts to make services attractive and accessible and to contact out-of-treatment groups; to assess the role of 'significant others'; to understand the demands that changing service roles place on agency staff; and to give greater prominence to studies of the process of help-seeking in terms of drug users' perceptions of their drug use, of problems, of risks and of services within the wider context of their lifestyles.
Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callDisclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
