title: A comparison of levels of satisfaction of stable drug users treated in general practice and an outpatient (community based) drug treatment service.
abstract: The objective of the study was to compare levels of satisfaction in stable drug users treated in general practice (GPTG) and a community based outpatient treatment service (OPTG). The study is in two parts. Part 1: Twenty preliminary interviews were undertaken with drug users attending treatment services at an outpatient clinic (n = 12) and with their general practitioner (n = 8). A questionnaire was developed employing a delight-terrible scale and simple agree/disagree questions based on the areas identified in the interviews. Descriptive and inferential statistics were used to analyse the data. Part 2: Subjects were recruited from eight general practitioner (GP) surgeries and two outpatient clinics in the North-west of England. Seventy-three clients cared for by their GP and 97 clients of the outpatient clinics completed the questionnaire. All clients were receiving 70 mLs of oral methadone (1 mg per ml) and no other prescribed medication. The results of these data indicate that clients managed by their GP show a greater level of 'satisfaction' with the treatment they received from their GP, the prescription they had and report a better emotional state than those treated in a specialist outpatient unit. Clients managed by their GP also reported a greater satisfaction with the relationship they had with the prescribing doctor and the contact associated with this. They perceived help to be more readily available to them than a similar group treated in a specialist service did. These differences occur even though there are only slight variations between the groups in variables related to positive outcomes in drug treatment. The results of this study represent the client's perspective on treatment, using measures that they see as important to them. As such this study adds to the growing body of information about where drug treatment services should be located.
authors.affiliation: School of Nursing, Midwifery and Health Visiting, Coupland III, University of Manchester, UK andDrug and HIV Prevention Services, Wirral and West Cheshire Community Healthcare Trust, St Catherine's Hospital, Tranmere, UK.
authors.forename: Shaun
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Speed
authors.forename: S. M. J.
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: Janikiewicz