A gendered difference? Female experience of drug and alcohol treatment in New Zealand

<p>This study examined women’s experiences of drug and alcohol treatment in New Zealand, with a focus on Methadone Maintenance Treatment (MMT). The qualitative literature on the treatment experiences of substance-using women is scarce, especially in a New Zealand context, with the majority of literature being quantitative, male-focused, and lacking the female voice. Available literature suggests that substance-using women have unique needs and experiences which must be addressed and acknowledged in treatment for a long-lasting positive change. This thesis aims to explore the experiences of women who have or are attending substance use treatment in New Zealand and their recommendations for improving substance use treatment for women. Areas examined include the experience of stigma, connections and relationships in treatment, and the importance of knowledge. These factors culminate in an exploration of participants’ suggestions for improvement. The current study is qualitative, feminist-informed and employed the use of semi-structured interviews with 11 women who have been or are currently in treatment as well as two service providers. The data from these interviews was analysed using Thematic Analysis, finding that women in this study overall had positive experiences. However, there were several areas for improvement suggested by participants including a need for greater access to treatment options, particularly gender-sensitive, holistic approaches. A need for greater knowledge amongst service providers, especially General Practitioners (GPs), on how to treat problematic substance use and the available treatment options was also expressed. Women on MMT had similar, yet varied, experiences compared to those attending other treatments.</p>

A gendered difference? Female experience of drug and alcohol treatment in New Zealand

<p>This study examined women’s experiences of drug and alcohol treatment in New Zealand, with a focus on Methadone Maintenance Treatment (MMT). The qualitative literature on the treatment experiences of substance-using women is scarce, especially in a New Zealand context, with the majority of literature being quantitative, male-focused, and lacking the female voice. Available literature suggests that substance-using women have unique needs and experiences which must be addressed and acknowledged in treatment for a long-lasting positive change. This thesis aims to explore the experiences of women who have or are attending substance use treatment in New Zealand and their recommendations for improving substance use treatment for women. Areas examined include the experience of stigma, connections and relationships in treatment, and the importance of knowledge. These factors culminate in an exploration of participants’ suggestions for improvement. The current study is qualitative, feminist-informed and employed the use of semi-structured interviews with 11 women who have been or are currently in treatment as well as two service providers. The data from these interviews was analysed using Thematic Analysis, finding that women in this study overall had positive experiences. However, there were several areas for improvement suggested by participants including a need for greater access to treatment options, particularly gender-sensitive, holistic approaches. A need for greater knowledge amongst service providers, especially General Practitioners (GPs), on how to treat problematic substance use and the available treatment options was also expressed. Women on MMT had similar, yet varied, experiences compared to those attending other treatments.</p>

Using Behavioural Insights to Improve the Uptake of Services for Drug and Alcohol Misuse

In the U.K., 270,705 adults were in contact with drug and alcohol treatment services between April 2019 and March 2020. Within the same time period, 118,995 individuals exited the treatment system, and just over a third (36%) left treatment without completing it. The latter includes individuals declining further treatment and unsuccessful transfers between services. The aim of this study was to explore the factors that affect drug and alcohol treatment uptake within a drug and alcohol service in North East England. A mixed-methods approach was adopted. The exploration of factors affecting treatment uptake was captured through a behavioural insights survey and 1:1 in-depth qualitative interviews with service users within one council area within the North East of England. There were 53 survey participants, and a further 15 participants took part in qualitative interviews. We triangulated data sources to report consistencies and discrepancies in the data. Findings show that treatment services aiming to reduce missed appointments and increase retention rates need to implement several strategies. Consistently distributing appointment cards, using text message reminders, displaying a timetable presenting all treatment options, and displaying information in a format to ensure it is accessible to individuals with lower health literacy and reducing wait times for appointments will all improve appointment attendance.