Alcohol use reduction program in methadone maintained individuals with hepatitis C virus infection.
The purpose of this article was to investigate the personal and social barriers experienced by methadone maintained clients when seeking treatment for alcohol abuse along with strategies for engaging such clients in treatment programs. A qualitative design using semi-structured focus groups was used to obtain the perspectives of 41 methadone-maintained clients in Los Angeles, California. Sessions were recorded, transcribed, and content-analyzed. Attitudes of health care providers were considered critical factors for engaging clients in treatment programs. Other facilitators included incentives and forms of support (emotional, financial, or material aid), whereas barriers consisted of lack of provider knowledge and insensitivity to acquiring needed resources. Clients also discussed the importance of personal attributes in achieving successful behavioral change, such as personal motivation. The findings suggest that healthcare providers' strategies designed to boost motivation, combined with various types of support, may prove successful in alcohol reduction among methadone-maintained clients.
Nyamathi
Adeline
A
University of California, Los Angeles, School of Nursing, Los Angeles, California, USA. anyamath@sonnet.ucla.edu
de Castro
Viviane
V
McNeese-Smith
Donna
D
Nyamathi
Kamala
K
Shoptaw
Steven
S
Marfisee
Mary
M
Khalilifard
Farinaz
F
Cohen
Allan
A
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000437:Alcoholism / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000523:psychology* / Q000628:therapy* / Q000821:virology; D000701:Analgesics, Opioid / Q000627:therapeutic use; D001291:Attitude of Health Personnel; D003695:Delivery of Health Care / Q000379:methods*; D017144:Focus Groups; D006297:Health Services Accessibility; D006526:Hepatitis C / Q000150:complications; D006556:Heroin Dependence / Q000534:rehabilitation; D006801:Humans; D015141:Los Angeles / Q000453:epidemiology; D008691:Methadone / Q000627:therapeutic use; D008875:Middle Aged; D009042:Motivation; D010342:Patient Acceptance of Health Care / Q000523:psychology; D011369:Professional-Patient Relations; D012944:Social Support; D016320:Substance Abuse Treatment Centers; D055815:Young Adult
D000701:Analgesics, Opioid; D008691:Methadone