Family Members Of Substance Users Research Articles

Family motivations and expectations in the care for psychoactive substance users.

To understand the motivations and expectations of family members for the care of users of psychoactive substances. This is a qualitative study using Alfred Schutz's phenomenological sociology framework. Data was collected through semi-structured interviews with family members of substance users treated in the inpatient and outpatient clinic of a university hospital in southern Brazil. Data was interpreted through comprehensive phenomenological analysis. Five categories of motivation were identified: for fear and insecurity with the situation; for obligation; due to the relationship of love and connection; to stop suffering; to promote independent living. The motivations of the family members aim to avoid the helplessness of the substance user and to achieve positive changes in the construction of a life without the use of substances, projecting a self-sufficient future for the user.

Substances use and its association with socio-demographic, family, and environment-related factors among technical and vocational education and training college students in Ataye, Ethiopia; an institution-based cross-sectional study

BackgroundLegal substances use is prevalent in Ethiopia. Substance use can have several health problems that are potentially harmful to educational performance, social issues, psychological and physical wellbeing. This study aimed to know the prevalence of lifetime and last month’s substance use and its associated factors among technical and vocational education and training College students in Ataye town.MethodsAn institution-based cross-sectional study was conducted from 1 March to last May 2019. Participants were selected using a simple random sampling technique. Data collected by using a structured and pretested interviewer-administered questionnaire. Data collected by five trained diploma nurses with close supervision. Odds ratio with their 95% confidence interval, and p-value less than 0.05 used to declare the statistical significance of associated factors.ResultsFour hundred eighty-three individuals participated in the study, which was a response rate of 94%. The prevalence of lifetime legal substance use was 32.5% (95% CI: 28.2, 36.5). The prevalence of last month’s legal substances use was 21.9% (95% CI = 18.2, 25.5). Among lifetime legal substance users, the majority (25.5%) chewed khat. The others, (19.5%) drunk alcohol, and, 15.3% smoked cigarettes in a lifetime. Lifetime cannabis and cocaine users were 2.5, and 7.2% respectively. Among last month’s legal substance users, (21.9%) chewed khat followed by alcohol drinking (16.6%), and cigarette smoking (15.3%). In the last month, 1.2 and 3.3% of students used cannabis and cocaine respectively. Multivariate logistic regression showed that being male, having a divorced family, living greater than 20 years in the town, having substance user family members, having intimate friend substance users, and easy availability of substances were independent predictors of lifetime legal substances use.ConclusionsThe prevalence of last month and lifetime legal substance use at Ataye Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) college students were analogous with most studies done in Ethiopia. It is advisable if the college administrators work together with town administrators to mitigate the problem including closing substance use houses around the school. Overall, Substance use among adolescents should get further emphasis to lower the prevalence.

Psychoeducation impact for family members of substance users: An evaluation the workbook “Addiction: A Family Disease”

ABSTRACT Background In countries such as Malaysia, extended families are common and therefore more people are affected when a loved one is substance dependent. Interventions for family members are as equally important as treating the substance-dependent person in order to ensure holistic treatment is achieved. This study focuses on evaluating a workbook developed for family members of loved ones seeking treatment in a private residential treatment facility in Malaysia. Methods: This evaluation study employs a mixed methodology approach guided by the Kirkpatrick model. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with family members using the workbook, triangulating findings with results from pre-and post-intervention questionnaires. Results: Findings from the evaluations were observed at three levels of the Kirkpatrick model: reaction to program – participants revealed high satisfaction levels; learning achieved – an increase in knowledge; behavior – knowledge acquired on a disease model of addiction impacting on their belief system. Conclusions: Findings from this study suggest that creating awareness among affected family members on the impact of substance dependency on the family dynamics can empower a substance user’s significant others and engender hope and realistic beliefs, and that employing a culturally appropriate workbook effectively supports the psychoeducation element of a family intervention program.

Prevalence, consequences and factors associated with drug use among individuals over 50 years of age in the family perspective

Objectives The aim of this study was to investigate the prevalence, consequences and factors associated with drug use among individuals over 50 years of age, from the perspective of their families, with particularly reference to cocaine use. Methods Cross-sectional study based on secondary data with 624 family members of substance users who sought family support in 14 units of the Recomeço Família Program in São Paulo, Brazil. Results The participants were predominately men, aged 50 to 59 years (68%); cocaine users (inhaled and/ or smoked); living alone; with a low level of education and were unemployed. They were likely to use family money to pay for their substance use, with a history of theft and aggression against strangers, and were not in treatment. Unlike other participants [≥ 60 years (31.1%)]; who were better educated and retired. In this latter group, 32.8% are alcohol users, 14.8% cocaine users (inhaled and smoked), 32.6% has physically assaulted their family, 39.7% had assaulted someone else and 18.3% had stolen objects or money from home. Conclusions The population has peculiar characteristics of vulnerability (cocaine use and violence) that remain under investigated; not only do routes into treatment for older adults (≥ 60) but appropriate treatment packages need to be developed too.

Could the Substance Misuse of a Relative be an Important Factor for Those Seeking Help for Anxiety and Depression? A Preliminary Prevalence Study within Improving Access to Psychological Therapies (IAPT).

The psychological difficulties and emotional impacts resulting from the substance use of close relatives constitute a large, underestimated and frequently unidentified health burden. The development of primary care mental health services in response to the Improving Access to Psychological Therapies initiative provides an opportunity to investigate this in more depth. A preliminary exploration of prevalence of IAPT service-users being treated for moderate-severe depression and/or anxiety who report that they have relatives with alcohol and/or drug problems. To explore the characteristics of the sample including comparison with those without a substance misusing relative. One hundred service users completed a brief questionnaire. Routine data on depression and anxiety symptoms were accessed for the full consenting sample. Descriptive statistics were used to explore the family members of substance users and differences to the rest of the sample. Twenty-two of the 100 IAPT service users reported having a close relative whose use of substances was of concern to them. The group with a relative who used substances were more depressed at the beginning of treatment than the rest of the sample. A significant number of people seeking psychological help for depression and anxiety within IAPT services reported being concerned about a close relative who misuses substances. They may be more distressed than those without a relative who misuses substances. Further exploration is warranted but preliminary findings indicate that this is an important research area with significant clinical implications.

Codependence in spouses of alcohol and opioid dependent men

Codependence in family members of substance users seems to be a culturally influenced construct. This phenomenon is an understudied area in the developing world. The present study aimed to assess codependence in spouses of substance dependent men in a developing country and to evaluate its relationship with other clinical factors. A total of 100 spouses of alcohol or opioid dependent men seeking treatment at a de-addiction centre in India were recruited. Socio-demographic and clinical data were obtained and codependence was evaluated using Codependence Assessment Questionnaire. Codependence was present in 56 and 64% of the spouses in the alcohol and opioid dependence groups, respectively. Binary logistic regression revealed codependence to be associated with the younger age of the spouse. The study suggests that codependence should be looked for in the spouses and taken into consideration while managing patients with substance use disorders.

Development of the Significant Other Survey: An Interview for Family Members of Substance Users

The Significant Other Survey (SOS) is a semi-structured interview designed to measure the multidimensional problems experienced by family members with a substance abusing loved one. This article describes the development of the SOS and its psychometric properties based on data obtained from significant others of 110 substance abusing adults. Interrater and test-retest reliability estimates were within acceptable ranges, adequate internal consistency was demonstrated for six of seven problem domains, and the problem domains were low to moderately correlated with each other. Issues related to future instrument development and the utility of the SOS for both family practitioners and researchers are described.