Provision Of Services Research Articles

High uptake of menstrual health information, products and analgesics within an integrated sexual reproductive health service for young people in Zimbabwe

BackgroundDespite being integral to women’s well-being, achieving good menstrual health (MH) remains a challenge. This study examined MH services uptake (including information, analgesics, and a choice of MH products - the menstrual cup and reusable pads) and sustained use of MH products within an integrated sexual and reproductive health intervention for young people in Zimbabwe.MethodsThis mixed-methods study was nested within a cluster randomised trial of integrated sexual and reproductive health services (CHIEDZA) for youth in three provinces (Harare, Mashonaland East, and Bulawayo). The study collected qualitative and quantitative data from 27,725 female clients aged 16–24 years, who accessed CHIEDZA from April 2019 – March 2022. Using a biometric (fingerprint recognition) identification system, known as SIMPRINTS, uptake of MH information, products, and analgesics and other services was tracked for each client. Descriptive statistics and logistic regression were used to investigate MH service uptake and product choice and use over time, and the factors associated with these outcomes. Thematic analysis of focus group discussions and interviews were used to further explore providers’ and participants’ experiences of the MH service and CHIEDZA intervention.ResultsOverall, 36,991 clients accessed CHIEDZA of whom 27,725 (75%) were female. Almost all (n = 26,448; 95.4%) took up the MH service at least once: 25433 took up an MH product with the majority (23,346; 92.8%) choosing reusable pads. The uptake of cups varied across province with Bulawayo province having the highest uptake (13.4%). Clients aged 20–24 years old were more likely to choose cups than reusable pads compared with those aged 16–19 years (9.4% vs 6.0%; p < 0.001). Over the implementation period, 300/1819 (16.5%) of clients swapped from the menstrual cup to reusable pads and 83/23346 (0.4%) swapped from reusable pads to the menstrual cup. Provision of the MH service encouraged uptake of other important SRH services. Qualitative findings highlighted the provision of free integrated SRH and MH services that included a choice of MH products and analgesics in a youth-friendly environment were key to high uptake and overall female engagement with SRH services.ConclusionsHigh uptake demonstrates how the MH service provided much needed access to MH products and information. Integration of MH within an SRH intervention proved central to young women accessing other SRH services.

Delegation, deregulation, and business power: a comparative analysis of health insurance in Belgium and France

Abstract Business power is thought to increase over time when private actors are involved in the provision of public goods and services. This paper argues that this is partially true—and that in certain circumstances, state actors can even swiftly regain control of sectors previously ceded to private interests. When the latter fulfill some public functions on behalf or as delegates of the state, policymakers face ever greater pressures to sustain a relationship flawed by principal-agent problems—allowing business actors to derive appreciable political benefits. However, these conditions do not hold true after deregulation—when state actors retreat from a sector and attempt to direct the newly created market through licensing, norms, and standard setting. We demonstrate that deregulation sets the stage for a more competitive environment, making it harder for private interests to cooperate. This, in turn, can allow policymakers to enhance regulatory capacities and seize opportunities to highlight the shortcomings of private provision. After establishing this argument theoretically, we illustrate its implications through the comparative historical analysis of the health insurance sector in two European countries—Belgium and France. Despite their initial similarities, they experience contrasting developments regarding the welfare state’s dependency on private insurers for the provision of crucial collective goods.

Needs for community-based rehabilitation services and support 12 months after moderate and severe physical traumatic injuries: a brief report.

Patients with physical traumatic injuries frequently require long-term rehabilitation services. To strengthen rehabilitation services in the post-acute phase, we need to assess characteristics of this population and their healthcare and rehabilitation needs in the community. This brief report summarizes the frequency of unmet rehabilitation needs in community-based rehabilitation during the first year after moderate and severe trauma. Additionally, the associations between sociodemographic, injury severity factors and unmet needs were examined. Data from a prospective multicenter cohort study of patients with moderate and severe trauma (New Injury Severity Score > 9) of all ages discharged alive from two regional trauma centers in 2020 were used. Needs were estimated using the Needs and Provision Complexity Scale. Overall, 46% of patients had unmet needs at 12 months post-injury, particularly related to the provision of rehabilitation services, specialist follow-ups, and social and family support. The probability of unmet needs was associated with age, pre-injury comorbidities, and impaired functioning. Our findings support strategies targeting younger patients, those with pre-injury comorbidities, and those with higher levels of disability and provide a starting point for the development of standardized rehabilitation needs assessment and guidelines following injury.

Let the records speak: an exploration of rehabilitation services offered in primary healthcare, Johannesburg metropolitan district

BackgroundPrimary healthcare in South Africa aims to transform the national health system by emphasising community-based care and preventive strategies. However, rehabilitation services, particularly for individuals with disabilities and chronic non-communicable diseases, are often overlooked in primary healthcare. This study aimed to investigate the provision of primary healthcare rehabilitation services in the Johannesburg Metropolitan District by exploring client sociodemographics and variations in services provided by rehabilitation professionals.MethodsA retrospective review of clinic rehabilitation records from 2011 to 2020 was conducted at nine provincially funded community health centres (CHCs) offering rehabilitation services. Stratified sampling facilitated record selection based on rehabilitation service type and year. A specifically designed data extraction tool captured demographics, disabilities, rehabilitation received, and referral sources. Descriptive analysis used means, standard deviations, and frequencies.ResultsThe findings show a diverse client population with a wide age range, with a significant proportion falling into the < 5 years and 30–49 years age groups. Neuromusculoskeletal and movement-related disabilities were most prevalent, affecting approximately two-thirds of clients. Referral sources were often undocumented, and inconsistent discharge information with no record of patient follow up, highlighted the need for improved documentation practices. Clinic visits were the primary service delivery mode, followed by limited home visits and outreach services. Occupational therapy and physiotherapy were the most used services. Speech and language therapy services were underused, and some CHCs lacked audiology services. There were variations in the number of individual and group sessions provided by the different rehabilitation services, and there were age- and disability-specific differences in service use.ConclusionThis study offers insights into rehabilitation service provision in the Johannesburg Metropolitan District and enhances our understanding of rehabilitation services in primary healthcare settings. It underscores the importance of a multidisciplinary rehabilitation team to address diverse rehabilitation needs, improving documentation and discharge practices, expanding service delivery models, and reducing disparities in service use. The findings inform strategies for optimising service delivery, workforce, resource allocation, and intersectoral collaboration to ultimately enhance the quality and accessibility of integrated rehabilitation services.

Teleaudiology Services in Australia: A National Survey of Hearing Health Care Consumers Amid the COVID-19 Pandemic.

The aim of this study was to investigate the perspectives of Australia-based hearing health care consumers regarding the (a) provision and utilization of teleaudiology services, (b) experiences with teleaudiology, and (c) barriers and enablers to future teleaudiology use. A national prospective self-report online survey was completed between April and October 2020, amid COVID-19. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics (closed-answer items) and content analysis (open-text responses). A total of 381 participants (Mage = 72.07 years ± 10.08, 142 females) were recruited from different states and territories of Australia. Despite positive outcomes reported by those who undertook teleaudiology appointments during COVID-19, results indicate low-consumer teleaudiology uptake. It can be inferred that consumers were not aware of teleaudiology as an appointment option, clinicians/clinic staff had not informed and/or supported teleaudiology as an option, and biases existed that prevented teleaudiology being more widely adopted. It is unclear whether consumers who were eligible for government subsidies understood that teleaudiology appointments were reimbursed through government funding. Barriers to future teleaudiology uptake were largely related to concerns regarding confidentiality and privacy. Low consumer uptake of teleaudiology appointments appears to be driven by consumer preference for in-person services, which appears to be driven by lack of knowledge regarding the availability and effectiveness of teleaudiology. https://doi.org/10.23641/asha.25619808.

Measurement Scales on Investment Decision-making. Empirical Evidence Based on MiFID Questionnaires.

The MiFID European directive regulates the provisions of investment services and improves the protection of retail investors. To know the financial knowledge and experience of investors, this directive uses basically two types of questionnaires: appropriateness and suitability tests in which are employed different measurement scales. Since some sub-fields of Behavioral Finance are focused on the study of perception biases, the main objective of this paper is to analyze some advantages and drawbacks of numerical and verbal rating scales, and to examine their effects on investors’ perceptions. To do that, it was carried out an empirical study based on different measurement scales: verbal, numerical rating scale, and verbal scale considering proximities. In this contribution, the concept of ordinal proximity measure is employed to collect the individuals’ perceptions about ordinal scales.

Impact of COVID-19 pandemic on depression incidence and healthcare service use among patients with depression: an interrupted time-series analysis from a 9-year population-based study

BackgroundMost studies on the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on depression burden focused on the earlier pandemic phase specific to lockdowns, but the longer-term impact of the pandemic is less well-studied. In this population-based cohort study, we examined the short-term and long-term impacts of COVID-19 on depression incidence and healthcare service use among patients with depression.MethodsUsing the territory-wide electronic medical records in Hong Kong, we identified all patients aged ≥ 10 years with new diagnoses of depression from 2014 to 2022. We performed an interrupted time-series (ITS) analysis to examine changes in incidence of medically attended depression before and during the pandemic. We then divided all patients into nine cohorts based on year of depression incidence and studied their initial and ongoing service use patterns until the end of 2022. We applied generalized linear modeling to compare the rates of healthcare service use in the year of diagnosis between patients newly diagnosed before and during the pandemic. A separate ITS analysis explored the pandemic impact on the ongoing service use among prevalent patients with depression.ResultsWe found an immediate increase in depression incidence (RR = 1.21, 95% CI: 1.10–1.33, p < 0.001) in the population after the pandemic began with non-significant slope change, suggesting a sustained effect until the end of 2022. Subgroup analysis showed that the increases in incidence were significant among adults and the older population, but not adolescents. Depression patients newly diagnosed during the pandemic used 11% fewer resources than the pre-pandemic patients in the first diagnosis year. Pre-existing depression patients also had an immediate decrease of 16% in overall all-cause service use since the pandemic, with a positive slope change indicating a gradual rebound over a 3-year period.ConclusionsDuring the pandemic, service provision for depression was suboptimal in the face of increased demand generated by the increasing depression incidence during the COVID-19 pandemic. Our findings indicate the need to improve mental health resource planning preparedness for future public health crises.

The effectiveness of abstinence-based and harm reduction-based interventions in reducing problematic substance use in adults who are experiencing homelessness in high income countries: A systematic review and meta-analysis: A systematic review.

The effectiveness of abstinence-based and harm reduction-based interventions in reducing problematic substance use in adults who are experiencing homelessness in high income countries: A systematic review and meta-analysis: A systematic review.

Transactional Leadership Style and the Effectiveness of Public Participation in the County Governance in Kenya

An effective system of governing is crucial for advancing both social and economic development, with a focus on promoting openness, accountability, and active involvement of the people. Public participation entails the active involvement of citizens in the process of governance, promoting openness, responsibility, and fair provision of public services. This method facilitates well-informed decision-making and improves governance by ensuring that policies align with the requirements and priorities of the community. To enhance efficacy, numerous governments have transitioned from centralization to decentralization, thereby enabling local governments to include citizens more directly in the process of decision-making. The Constitution of Kenya 2010 incorporated decentralization and public involvement as integral components to enhance governance in Kenya. Nevertheless, despite extant literature suggesting that leadership affects participation, the extent to which various leadership styles impact the effectiveness of public engagement has not been well investigated. This study examines the influence of transactional leadership style on the effectiveness of public participation in the county governance in Kenyan. The components of transactional leadership styles consisted of contingent reward, contingent punishment, Management-by-Exception-active, and Management-by-Exception-passive. The study adopted a positivist philosophy, using scientific methods to explore social phenomena, focusing on objectivity and empirical verification. The research used a quantitative survey design, with questionnaires for data collection. The analysis involved devolved county governments, targeting residents from eight counties, who had engaged in public forums. A sample of 400 respondents was obtained through both probabilistic and non-probabilistic sampling methods. The results of the regression analysis indicated that there was a positive relationship between transactional leadership and the effectiveness of public participation. The implementation of active management-by-exception and contingent incentive resulted in a notable increase in public engagement, with active management-by-exception having the most prominent influence. The effects of contingent punishment and passive Management-by-Exception were positive, although they failed to achieve statistical significance. The study recommends county authorities to prioritize active management-by-exception and use reward schemes to enhance public participation. Additionally, it suggested implementation of training programs aimed at transforming executives from passive to proactive management approaches. In addition, proposals were made for policies that support leadership training and civic education to promote public participation. This study enhances the existing theory by empirically demonstrating the relationship between transactional leadership style and the effectiveness of public participation. It also offers a foundation for future research in this area. Subsequent investigations should examine additional variables that impact the efficacy of public participation in county governance, considering cultural and contextual variations.

Increase in precipitation will facilitate the ecological stability of desert steppe in the future

Community stability plays a vital role in ensuring the consistent provision of ecosystem services despite climatic changes. It is presumed that future changes to annual precipitation will impact the ecological stability of many systems, particularly the ‘fragile’ desert steppe. However, most studies of ecological stability are inferred from short-term field precipitation manipulation experiments. There is still extensively to learn regarding how the desert steppe reacts to long-term changes in precipitation. We conducted a 7-year experimental study monitoring the aboveground biomass of major plant functional groups (perennial grasses, perennial forbs, annual herbs, and semi-shrubs) under four experimentally manipulated precipitation gradients [reducing natural precipitation by 50% (-50%), natural precipitation (CK), increasing natural precipitation by 50% (+50%), and increasing natural precipitation by 100% (+100%)] to evaluate how changes in precipitation affect the biomass stability of plant communities. We did observe higher levels of species asynchrony, resistance, resilience, and temporal stability of community and functional groups in experimental plots receiving more precipitation. Interestingly, the contribution of species richness to community stability was not observed in our experiment. The increase in soil water content in the 20–30 cm soil layer caused by increased precipitation promoted the resilience of perennial grasses but inhibited the resistance of perennial forbs. At the same time, the decrease in soil inorganic nitrogen caused by increased rainfall inhibited the resilience of perennial grasses. Notably, community resilience predominantly hinged on the resilience of perennial grasses, while community resistance was primarily dictated by the resistance of perennial forbs. Moreover, species asynchrony emerged as the primary regulator of community temporal stability. Our long-term experimental evidence underscores the transformative potential of precipitation in reshaping grassland stability across both functional and structural dimensions. Importantly, sustaining the high stability of perennial herbs emerges as a strategic avenue for enhancing the ecological stability of the desert steppe in the face of evolving precipitation patterns.

Information Provision Regarding Health-Related Direct-to-Consumer Genetic Testing for Dutch Consumers: An in-Depth Content Analysis of Sellers' Websites.

Background: Previous studies have suggested that information offered by sellers of health-related direct-to-consumer genetic tests (DTC-GTs) is often incomplete, unbalanced, or too difficult to understand. The extent to which this is the case for sellers accessible to Dutch consumers has not previously been studied. Methods and Goals: The present study aimed to assess the completeness, balance, readability, and findability of informational content on a selection of websites from several health-related DTC-GT sellers accessible to Dutch consumers. An in-depth content analysis was performed based on a recently published checklist outlining key items for policy guidance regarding DTC-GT services. Results: The information provided by sellers did not equally cover all aspects relevant to health-related DTC-GT service provision. The provided information was slightly unbalanced, with benefits of health-related DTC-GT usage being overemphasized compared to its risks and limitations. The readability of the provided information was low, on average requiring college education for proper understanding. A findability analysis showed that information concerning all themes is overall relatively evenly distributed across analyzed sellers' websites. Conclusions: Information provision by assessed health-related DTC-GT sellers is suboptimal regarding completeness, balance, and readability. To better empower potential consumers to make an informed decision regarding health-related DTC-GT usage, we advocate industry-wide enhancement of information provision.

Training physiotherapy students in basic wheelchair provision. Experiences at two universities in Colombia

Wheelchair provision training is essential to overcome barriers related to the lack of knowledge of health professionals on this topic. Appropriate knowledge of the service provision process may lead to higher quality service and products, and thus be more likely to help people with mobility impairments achieve the fundamental human right of personal mobility. This study aimed to describe a training intervention for two groups of future physiotherapists in Colombia, assess cohort differences in performance on a knowledge test, and explore their post-training perceptions. A quantitative retrospective study with a historical, descriptive-comparative design was conducted. 525 sixth-semester participants completed the International Society of Wheelchair Professionals Wheelchair Service Provision – Basic Test online in Spanish after curriculum modifications were implemented. The test assesses knowledge in seven domains: Assessment; Prescription; Products; Fitting; User training; Follow-up, maintenance, and repairs; and Process. The training intervention was successfully implemented with Physiotherapy students from two institutions, resulting in a 57% increase in test approval rates. Participants demonstrated increased knowledge, satisfaction with the course content, and application of learning to their current work. These results suggest implications for what pedagogical approach to employ, when curricular change may be warranted, and specific considerations for the Colombian context. Furthermore, identifying the minimal knowledge basis for undergraduate programs and facilitating its dissemination can support interprofessional education and enhance professionals’ capacity to support wheelchair provision services.

State of the art: A roadmap for the national echocardiography team 2023

Over the past 30 years, echocardiography has carved a vital professional role within the care of millions of patients per year. Here, I examine the provision of this vital service through the lens of the people who provide it, focussing on the challenges and opportunities facing this unique workforce over the next 10 years.

Prospects of electronic governance implementation in Georgia

E-governance refers to the information and communication technologies (ICT) used to improve the efficiency, accessibility, transparency, and accountability of government services and processes. It includes a wide range of initiatives aimed at digitizing government operations and interactions with citizens, businesses, and other government entities. E-Government is, to some extent, more applied than theoretical. It is influenced by the tasks facing the public administration at this or that stage of development. Initially, the interest of researchers in this field was related to the automation of public administration, then to the provision of electronic services by the state, and finally to organizational changes in governance. The paper discusses opinions about electronic government introduction, development, future perspectives, and a theoretical and practical analysis of current innovations in this field in Georgia and some foreign countries.

Why Are PPP Projects Stagnating in China? An Evolutionary Analysis of China’s PPP Policies

The Public–Private Partnership (PPP) model has significantly contributed to global infrastructure and public service provision. The evolution of the PPP model closely aligns with policy directives. China’s PPP policy evolution has included five stages: budding (1986–2000), fluctuating (2001–2008), steady (2009–2012), expanding (2013–2018), and stagnating (2019–present). This study employs bibliometric analysis and co-word analysis to examine 407 policies enacted by the Chinese government from 1986 to 2018. By extracting policy text keywords at various stages and constructing a co-word network matrix, this study delineates the distinctive characteristics of Chinese PPP policies across different epochs. It can be found that critical areas such as “government credit”, “contract spirit”, and “power supervision” are still underappreciated. The challenges confronting China’s PPP model are multifaceted, stemming from policy gaps that have led to substantial project difficulties. Although the government proposed a new mechanism for franchising in 2023, the new mechanism is only for new PPP projects, and the difficulties of existing PPP projects have not been solved. This study advocates for enhancements in project bankability, regulatory clarity, institutional environment improvement, contract spirit defense, and the development of the PPP-REITs model to address these issues.

Walking together in friendship: Learning about cultural safety in mainstream mental health services through Aboriginal Participatory Action Research.

Culturally safe service provision is essential to improving social and emotional wellbeing among Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities, and to eliminating health inequities. Cultural safety is about ensuring that all people have a safe and healing journey through services, regardless of their cultural background. In this project, we aim to (1) understand how Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples conceptualise cultural safety, and (2) co-design a qualitative interview for the next phase of this project, where we plan to learn about experiences of cultural safety within mental health services. We conducted six focus groups (in one metro and two regional areas, Western Australia). Following an Aboriginal Participatory Action Research methodology, we yarned with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander mental health service users, carers, community members, mental health professionals and Cultural Healers about cultural safety. Participants described a culturally safe service as one where Aboriginal cultural knowledges, life experiences, issues and protocols are understood and acknowledged, and reported that mainstream mental health services are not currently culturally safe. Participants emphasised the importance of building trust, rapport, reciprocity and following appropriate relational processes when designing a qualitative interview for the next phase. A lack of cultural safety in mental health services is likely to contribute to the disparity in outcomes between Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples and non-Indigenous Australians. Embedding cultural safety into research design allows for authentic community engagement and facilitates knowledge sharing around ways to improve cultural safety in mental health services.

Research of the Problems of Professional Support for Teachers in the Implementation of Inclusive Education

Professional support for teachers plays a crucial role in the implementation of inclusive education. In the study, the concept of “professional support for teachers” refers to the existence of close social ties between the administration (school principal and his deputies), colleagues, parents of children with SEN, and teachers of postgraduate pedagogical education institutions, who are the main resource for professional support. The aim of the study was to identify current problems of professional support for teachers of inclusive education in a general secondary education institution. It is established that the administration of the institution is mainly interested in the formation of additional competencies of teachers. The problems in which teachers need professional support are identified, in particular: increasing incentives to work with children with SEN; involving special educators in the provision of correctional and developmental services; providing funding for institutions to create an inclusive educational environment; conducting educational work with parents to form adequate expectations of their children; providing teachers with practical advice on minimizing unwanted behavior and modifying educational material for children with intellectual difficulties and autism spectrum disorders. It was found that the activity and motivation of parents of children with SEN to cooperate plays an exceptional role in providing support to teachers.

The Impact of Assisted Living Organizational Structure and Process Characteristics on Staff Absence During COVID-19

ABSTRACT Quality of care in assisted living communities (ALCs) is important to consumers. The coronavirus disease of 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic and associated emergency policies have posed major challenges on staff recruitment and retention. This study aimed to examine the relationship between organizational characteristics of ALCs in Florida and challenges with staff absence during COVID-19 (N = 129 ALCs). Results indicated that structures (provision of memory care services), processes of care (challenges hiring new staff, staff sent home to comply with precautions, and staff anxiety), and local COVID-19 positivity rate were significantly associated with staff absence due to fear of infection, sickness, or family responsibilities. ALC providers and state regulatory agencies should develop policies and procedures that take these issues into consideration to prepare for future emergencies and disasters. Infection control policies should reflect whether an ALC provides memory care services and inform ways to overcome potential challenges with protocols. Efforts to reduce staff anxiety and disaster-related concerns should also be considered to ensure quality of care during emergencies.

Nature in urban green spaces: Main attractor or nice background? Drivers and dynamics of cultural ecosystem services provision

Urban parks and forests are important providers of cultural ecosystem services (CES) for the majority of the global population. Data from diverse sources are needed to reflect both ecological and social aspects of CES delivery in these areas. Understanding and disentangling this complex relationship is crucial to managing urban green spaces (UGS) in a way that maximizes users’ cultural benefits, and does not threaten the ecosystem and its functions. This paper provides a multidimensional analysis of CES delivery in parks and forests located along the urban–peri-urban axis in Warsaw, Poland. We analyzed the content of photographs posted on Instagram to identify which UGS elements attract the attention of users. We also examined whether the pattern of CES delivery was a function of the naturalness and location of the park or forest, and analyzed the factors that influence weekly and seasonal patterns of CES delivery. Although our study focused on areas where natural elements dominate, only around a quarter of photographs featured plants, water, or wild animals. Nature typically appeared as the background, while the foreground was occupied by people and their activities. Consequently, recreational services dominated over aesthetic experience; at the same time, it proved to be very difficult to identify educational services from our dataset. Air temperature, and the color of vegetation resulting from phenological changes were the most important drivers of CES delivery. We found that both the dynamics and character of CES delivery varied depending on the character of the area, and its location. Finally, delivery patterns were similar in semi-wild urban parks and outer city forests.

Purpose in life, loneliness and depression among patients with substance use disorders in the psychiatric hospitals in Ghana.

Substance use disorder is a global mental health issue. Purpose in life, Loneliness and depression are key indicators of poor mental health, and people with substance use disorder are more likely to experience low purpose in life, depression, and loneliness. This study aims to further the understanding of purpose in life, depression and loneliness among substance use disorders (SUD) patients in three hospitals in Ghana. It uses a cross-sectional survey design. A total of 425 SUD inpatients were screened. Beck Depression Inventory-II, the revised UCLA Loneliness Scale, and the Purpose in Life Test were utilised to measure depression, loneliness, and purpose in life respectively. Data were analysed using the SPSS version 23 for Windows. Data from 378 participants were collected for this study using a cross sectional survey design; after data cleaning, frequency tables (for categorical variables) and descriptive statistics (for continuous variables) were used to summarise the demographics and the three outcome variables depression, purpose in life, and loneliness. Our findings indicate that overall, participants are more likely to experience low sense of purpose in life, depression, and loneliness compared to the general population. There was no statistically significant relationship between depression and loneliness (r = 0.030, p = 0.567). There was a statistically significant negative relationship between depression and purpose in life (r = -0.514, p < 0.001). There was a statistically significant positive relationship between purpose in life and loneliness (r = 0.147, p = 0.004). There was no gender difference in depression, purpose in life, and loneliness among SUDs patients in psychiatric hospitals. There were no significant differences in purpose in life, depression and loneliness based on marital status. It is anticipated that the findings of this study will inform policies and clinical practice regarding service provision for patients with SUDs.