Treatment goals in addiction healthcare: the perspectives of patients and clinicians.
BACKGROUND
Little is known about the perspectives of either patients or clinicians regarding treatment goals in addiction healthcare. In general, treatment goals involve abstinence or at least reduction of substance use.


OBJECTIVE
To examine and compare the treatment goals indicated by both patients and clinicians at baseline, interim and exit measurement.


METHODS
A descriptive study was performed with multiple measurements of treatment goals. Patients (n = 111) and clinicians (n = 20) were recruited from three addiction treatment centres in the Netherlands. A Shared Decision Making Intervention (SDMI) was undertaken to promote and evaluate treatment agreement.


RESULTS
Patients identified treatment goals of daytime activities and abstinence or reduced alcohol consumption as most important. Clinicians indicated psychological distress, daytime activities and substance use as most important. Differences between patients and clinicians were found for the treatment goals of physical health (patient > clinician) and psychological distress (clinician > patient). The results further showed that treatment goals of both patients and clinicians become more closely aligned during the course of treatment.


CONCLUSIONS
SDMI provides a method to explore and discuss discrepancy between patients' and clinicians' goals of treatment which leads to convergence. Such convergence is likely to be a necessary prerequisite for positive treatment outcomes.
Joosten
E A G
EA
Radboud University Nijmegen, Academic Centre for Social Sciences, Nijmegen Institute for Scientist-Practitioners in Addiction, Nijmegen, The Netherlands. evelienjoosten@gmail.com
De Weert-Van Oene
G H
GH
Sensky
T
T
Van Der Staak
C P F
CP
De Jong
C A J
CA
D000328:Adult; D000437:Alcoholism / Q000523:psychology / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D001291:Attitude of Health Personnel; D005260:Female; D006040:Goals; D006760:Hospitalization; D006801:Humans; D013287:Illicit Drugs; D007406:Interview, Psychological; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009426:Netherlands; D010352:Patient Dropouts / Q000523:psychology; D010353:Patient Education as Topic; D010358:Patient Participation; D011779:Q-Sort; D055502:Secondary Prevention; D016320:Substance Abuse Treatment Centers; D019966:Substance-Related Disorders / Q000523:psychology / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D013695:Temperance / Q000523:psychology*
D013287:Illicit Drugs