0000000000156918
AUTHOR
Bente Birkeland
Patients’ experiences of continued treatment with extended-release naltrexone: a Norwegian qualitative study
Abstract Background The opioid antagonist extended-release naltrexone (XR-NTX) in the treatment of opioid use disorder (OUD) is effective in terms of safety, abstinence from opioid use and retention in treatment. However, it is unclear how patients experience and adjust to losing the possibility of achieving an opioid effect. This qualitative study is the first to explore how people with opioid dependence experience XR-NTX treatment, focusing on the process of treatment over time. Methods Using a purposive sampling strategy, semi-structured interviews were undertaken with 19 persons with opioid use disorder (15 men, four women, 22–55 years of age) participating in a clinical trial of XR-NTX…
Human-Animal Relationships in Supported Housing: Animal Atmospheres for Mental Health Recovery
Being in a relationship with an animal can promote the well-being of people. For many individuals, this usually takes place at home. This study reports about homes for people with mental health problems (with or without co-occurring substance use), who live in supported housing operated by public landlords, entailing tenancies that are usually stricter regarding their pet policies than ordinary homes. We thus addressed the following research questions through ethnographic fieldwork at seven distinct places: which types of human–animal relationships occur in supported housing, and how do they affect the tenants? We analyzed the collected data informed by the Grounded Theory approach and foun…
Perceived family cohesion, social support, and quality of life in patients undergoing treatment for substance use disorders compared with patients with mental and physical disorders
Abstract Purpose Support from family and other social network elements can be important in helping patients to cope with practical and emotional consequences of diseases. The aim of the study was to examine perception of family and social support and quality of life (QoL) in patients undergoing treatment for substance use disorders (SUDs). We compared them with patients in treatment for mental disorders (MDs) and physical disorders (PDs). Methods We used data from a national multicenter study that recruited patients (N = 518) from three treatment domains; SUD treatment units, MD treatment units, and PD treatment units (severe neurological conditions or cancer). Data on family cohesion, so…
Life situation when your partner has substance use problems : Quality of life and everyday experiences
Substance use problems (SUPs) in a family member have a highly negative impact on both the person experiencing such problems and his or her relatives. An estimated 10 – 30% of people are affected by SUPs in a close family member. Several studies have been conducted on relatives of people with SUPs, and they have documented strains such as physical and mental health problems, isolation, lack of support, and disturbance of family routines. However, the partners of people with SUPs seem to have been studied mostly from a psychological perspective, using personality pathology as a model to explain them remaining in such a dysfunctional relationship. Furthermore, partners in these families have …
One size doesn’t fit all: a thematic analysis of interviews with people who have stopped participating in Narcotics Anonymous in Norway
Abstract Background For persons with substance use disorders (SUDs), 12-step groups (TSGs) are the most available and used peer-based recovery resource, worldwide. However, disengagement is common, and attrition may partly be due to practices and procedures within these groups that are unacceptable to a portion of the population with SUDs. Our overall aim was to identify problematic issues related to Narcotics Anonymous (NA) participation in Norway, to inform addiction professionals’ strategies when referring persons to addiction-related self-help groups (SHGs). Methods In this qualitative study, we interviewed ten individuals who had previously participated regularly in NA for at least 6 m…
"It's like being stuck on an unsafe and unpredictable rollercoaster": Experiencing substance use problems in a partner.
Living with a partner with substance abuse problems may induce strains in an individual’s everyday life, including poor health, disrupted family life, and social isolation; this may lead to dropping out of education or work, a lack of safety and support, and facing various dilemmas and stigma.Aim:The purpose of this study was to explore these partners’ everyday life experiences, including their parental roles.Method:A qualitative design comprising qualitative interviews with ten partners and ex-partners was performed, and a thematic analysis was used.Results:The findings demonstrated that sharing their lives, including parenthood, with a partner with substance use problems affected every as…
‘Not at all what I had expected’: Discontinuing treatment with extended-release naltrexone (XR-NTX): A qualitative study
Background: Extended-release naltrexone (XR-NTX), an opioid antagonist, has demonstrated equal treatment outcomes, in terms of safety, opioid use, and retention, to the recommended OMT medication buprenorphine. However, premature discontinuation of XR-NTX treatment is still common and poorly understood. Research on patient experiences of XR-NTX treatment is limited. We sought to explore participants' experiences with discontinuation of treatment with XR-NTX, particularly motivation for XR-NTX, experiences of initiation and treatment, and rationale for leaving treatment. Methods: We conducted qualitative, semi-structured interviews with participants from a clinical trial of XR-NTX. The study…
Norwegian health personnel’s compliance with new legislation on children of ill parents: an exploratory cross-sectional multicentre study
Abstract Background In 2010 the Norwegian Parliament introduced amendments to the Health Personnel Act requiring all health personnel to inform and offer help to their patients’ children and families. We evaluated whether health personnel adhered to their obligations outlined in the Act and investigated whether family and health services characteristics were associated with the degree of compliance with the legislation. Our study was part of a larger Norwegian multi-site study conducted in five health trusts across Norway, assessing the situation for families living with parental illness. Method A cross-sectional study using quantitative data obtained from 518 patients 246 children and 278 …
The quality of life when a partner has substance use problems: a scoping review
Objective To examine the existing body of knowledge on quality of life (QoL) in partners of people with substance use problems (PP-SUPs) to provide a synthesized summary of the evidence and identify gaps in our knowledge on the QoL of PP-SUPs. Methods A systematic scoping review was performed. Publications indexed in EMBASE, Medline, PsycINFO, CINAHL, SocINDEX, and CENTRAL were searched for original, empirical, peer-reviewed, full-length research papers that examined QoL in PP-SUPs. Research papers identified through a manual search of key references and known references by co-authors were also included. A total of 3070 abstracts were screened, 41 full-text papers examined, and nine were fo…
Perceived quality of life in partners of patients undergoing treatment in somatic health, mental health, or substance use disorder units: a cross-sectional study
Background This study explores (1) differences in socio-demographic, social/familial, and health variables and perceived quality of life (QoL) among partners of patients with somatic illness, mental illness, or substance use disorder (SUD); and (2) identifies factors associated with QoL. Methods Participants (N = 213) in this cross-sectional study were recruited from inpatient or outpatient services in five hospitals in Norway, 2013–2014. QoL was measured by the QoL-5, a generic five-item questionnaire. Differences between groups were examined using Chi-square for categorical variables and Kruskal-Wallis for contiuous variables. Multiple linear regression analyses were used to examine facto…